How often to release new updates on your app?

Discussion in 'Public Game Developers Forum' started by Faktamorten, Jan 7, 2011.

  1. #1 Faktamorten, Jan 7, 2011
    Last edited: Jan 7, 2011
    Hi guys as the title says i wondering how often to release updates. We are soon going to release our app and before that happens i am making a marking plan to make sure things fall into place :)

    What do you guys suggest?
     
  2. mr.Ugly

    mr.Ugly Well-Known Member

    Dec 1, 2009
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    Berlin, Germany
    At least 14 times...

    ;) seriously update it as much as its worth the trouble
     
  3. snowdude11

    snowdude11 Well-Known Member

    Jul 14, 2010
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    But don't update it too often. EA and Gameloft don't do it enough and there was a game I had (I forget what it was called) that had AT LEAST 50 updates. I deleted it after the 51st.
     
  4. waigo21

    waigo21 Well-Known Member

    Sep 19, 2009
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    15/30 days per update.
    In fact, we release 1.1/ 1.2 only for the purpose of getting more promote codes.
    We prefer distributing more promote codes than selling free for limit time.
     
  5. Moonjump

    Moonjump Well-Known Member

    May 17, 2010
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    Game designer
    Lincoln, UK
    I release when I have something new to add, anything more often and there is the opportunity to annoy customers with unnecessary bandwidth use.
     
  6. schplurg

    schplurg Well-Known Member

    As a user, too many updates can definitely be annoying. I have certain apps that have periodic updates that I know are bogus, such as "various bug fixes", plus a message in the description about their new app. It becomes obvious when I have 3 apps from one dev and they all get mysterious bug fixes all on the same day.

    As a dev though, I know that strategic updating for various purposes can be useful. Just don't do it too often...once every few months maybe. Someone above said every 15 days...please don't ;)
     
  7. Moonjump

    Moonjump Well-Known Member

    May 17, 2010
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    Game designer
    Lincoln, UK
    I had an update go live yesterday only 1 hour 26 minutes after I submitted the binary.

    This is brilliant, but I wonder how many more bogus updates we will get now.
     
  8. 99c_gamer

    99c_gamer Well-Known Member

    Mar 23, 2009
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    I update every couple weeks which is a bad habit to get in to. But if the version I'm playing is significantly better in my opinion than what other players have, I'll do an update.

    new customers will experience a much better product.
     
  9. Hi guys thanks for the insight! We are planning to launch our game with the intention of incremental updates that will add to the nuances of the gameplay. We have been working on this game for much longer than we care to admit but hopefully it will soon be out. I plan to start a thread on TA as soon as the release is within sight.

    When you submit an update to apple, does it take just as long as submitting a whole game to them? Do you also get more promo codes then?
     
  10. Moonjump

    Moonjump Well-Known Member

    May 17, 2010
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    Game designer
    Lincoln, UK
    I had heard updates were faster, but when I did an update and a new app at about the same time, the new app was reviewed in less time. Since the middle of December updates have been much faster. My record is 1 hour 26 from binary submission to App Store, which happened last weekend. An update took 8 days at the beginning of December. It seems they have cleared the backlog and the old rules do not apply anymore.

    You get an new set of promo codes with each update. EDIT: It is reset to 50, not number remaining + 50.
     

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