Opinion on rejection of our game on the App Store

Discussion in 'General Game Discussion and Questions' started by theamitgoyal, May 8, 2014.

  1. theamitgoyal

    theamitgoyal Active Member

    Feb 6, 2013
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    Hi,

    My name is Amit and I have a small development studio by the name of SuperSike Games.

    We recently made a game called Go Kane! (yes, it's about drug dealing) for iOS and Android. The game is live now on Android (http://bit.ly/getgokane), but Apple decided to reject our app on grounds that trading drugs is not appropriate on the App Store. (We had requested a 17+ rating on the game)

    The rule quoted to us was "Apps must comply with all legal requirements in any location where they are made available to users. It is the developer's obligation to understand and conform to all local laws"

    Technically we are in violation of the rule. But we pursued the matter and pointed out that there are games on the App Store (specifically, GTA Chinatown Wars) which have components that simulate drug dealing far more explicitly than we do (no drug names are mentioned in our game, and the only time we mention the word "drug" is in the "Don't do drugs" warning)

    To this, Apple suggested that the policy may have changed after that game was released. That again, is quite a possibility since GTA:CW was released in 2010 and we could not find any games simulating drug dealing in recent times on the App Store.

    I have two questions though:

    1. As per the rule, shouldn't any game that simulates the act of killing people in an urban scenario, assassinations etc be not allowed on the App Store?

    2. Now that we have pointed out an App which violates the guidelines the same way that we do, should that App continue to exist on the App Store since it violates the grounds we were rejected on?

    Would really love to hear any other developers, members of the press and other forum members on the subject.

    Mods - If the topic is in the incorrect section, apologies for the same and please let me know so I can move it to the appropriate section.

    Thank you for reading.
     
  2. TheFrost

    TheFrost Well-Known Member

    Nov 18, 2010
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    #2 TheFrost, May 8, 2014
    Last edited: May 8, 2014
    Basic answer is, and it is sad, that you are an indie developer and dont have the budget and name as RockStar. If you were publishing your game under a big company name they wouldn't care (as seen with Chinatown Wars) at all. Big names can bend the rules, the lower ones, not.
     
  3. psj3809

    psj3809 Moderator

    Jan 13, 2011
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    I think they banned the wrong game ! They should have banned your other game 'Yet another bird game' instead of this one !!

    As the post above says, Rockstar are huge, having Vice City/San Andreas on the app store is huge.

    Yes in other games you shoot people, kill them and murder them etc. So there are so many double standards.

    But a game based solely on drug dealing (instead of being just part of a game) i can 'kinda' see why Apple might have said no. But like i say its a funny world we live in, some people think if their little kid plays GTA he might turn out to be a psycho in later life. Others think its fine, but wont be happy if their kids playing a game JUST to do with drug dealing.

    Sadly at the end of the day i'm happy i can play GTA and i'm not too bothered if i cant play this one (sorry)
     
  4. kmacleod

    kmacleod Well-Known Member
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    Jul 1, 2009
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    Grand Theft Auto is Grand Theft Auto. It's one of the biggest and most important game series of all time. They aren't rejecting it.

    Your game is not Grand Theft Auto.

    It's an arbitrary system, but as store owners, Apple doesn't have to stock anything they don't choose to. If you boxed your game up and took it to GameStop, they probably wouldn't stock it either.
     
  5. theamitgoyal

    theamitgoyal Active Member

    Feb 6, 2013
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    Errr... Why would you say that?
     
  6. psj3809

    psj3809 Moderator

    Jan 13, 2011
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    You might tell i'm not a flappy bird clone fan at all.

    Again as for your game, if its a huge huge hit on Android i'm sure Apple will have their tail between their legs and would want an iOS version. But for now its just an indie game trying to be controversial
     
  7. theamitgoyal

    theamitgoyal Active Member

    Feb 6, 2013
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    I'd really wish you would have checked out our game before calling it a Flappy Bird Clone. Incidentally, we released the game long before Flappy Bird.

    Can I send you a promo code? :)
     
  8. HarryWarden

    HarryWarden Well-Known Member

    Aug 22, 2012
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    Wonder if Apple will have similar problems with that game where you play as a homeless person.
     
  9. optimizemyapps.com

    optimizemyapps.com Active Member

    Jan 10, 2014
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    Their Store their rules

    Like other people on the thread have pointed out. Its Apple's store & its their rules. It sometimes depends on the reviewer as well. If your game goes to a reviewer who is very strict about these things he will flag it. Some reviewers let some controversial games pass through.

    However, drug dealing is a very touchy topic, maybe such games get referred to the a guy up the review chain for his say - Yes / No
     
  10. smegly

    smegly Well-Known Member

    Mar 27, 2012
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    #10 smegly, May 8, 2014
    Last edited: May 8, 2014
    I don't think people really give censors enough credit for identifying central themes or messages instead of a screen by numbers approach that their opponents stick to.

    I don't think the app store should censor anything really, but I also can't relate to the notion of starting off in the video game world and deciding to make a game about drugs right off the bat either. I think that sends a message in and of itself and a censor with half a brain cell would see that too.
     
  11. bigred447uk

    bigred447uk Well-Known Member

    Apr 16, 2009
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    #11 bigred447uk, May 8, 2014
    Last edited: May 8, 2014
    Weed Farmer by The Grow Brothers was specifically about growing marijuana. It doesn't discuss selling weed in the app description but having played it you do sell your harvest in exchange for $ so you buy fertiliser and upgrade your growing equipment. It's still available on the App Store. It was released April 2013.

    I also assumed your other game was probably a Flappy clone but now I know it's not I'm going to check it out :D

    Edit : Looks like 'Yet Another Bird Game' is not available in my region (UK). Oh well.
     
  12. dancj

    dancj Well-Known Member

    Jan 25, 2011
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    I don't think your app is in violation of that rule at all - unless there's some country where it's illegal to play a game themed around selling drugs. If there is such a country then you could just exclude your game from that country.
     
  13. theamitgoyal

    theamitgoyal Active Member

    Feb 6, 2013
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    It's available in all regions, but you probably have a tablet, and its a phone only game.

    We are updating the game very soon to be compatible with all devices and I'll be sure to let you know :D

    About Weed Farmers, I am guessing someone mentioned earlier about how it may depend from reviewer to reviewer as well. The funny thing is, that when you set the rating for your app you also have to mention how frequent the reference to drug, alcohol and tobacco your app has. Setting it to frequent (which we did) was what got us a 17+ rating. IMO, that should have taken care of the matter but it didn't.
     
  14. theamitgoyal

    theamitgoyal Active Member

    Feb 6, 2013
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    As soon as an app gets a 17+ rating, it automatically gets restricted from 8-10 markets which do not allow the kind of content that gets you a 17+ rating.

    A lot of people also pointed out that there is a world of difference between our game and GTA: CW. I am not advocating an idealistic policy, but I do believe that it should be consistent.
     
  15. Happybyte

    Happybyte Well-Known Member
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    Mar 1, 2011
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    It's an unwise step to go public that may lead to a real game ban.

    You should've made changes, re-submit and repeat until it's approved instead.

    But don't be warried much about it - the game wouldn't become a hit anyway.
     
  16. smegly

    smegly Well-Known Member

    Mar 27, 2012
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    It's probably more productive to figure out what's different between an accepted and rejected game rather than moan and console each other over what's the same about them.

    Or just go on making smart ass comments about double standards and talk about stuff like how God of War is a hentai game like you can't comprehend the difference.
     
  17. Happybyte

    Happybyte Well-Known Member
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    Mar 1, 2011
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    #17 Happybyte, May 8, 2014
    Last edited: May 8, 2014
    And why are you stating a BS like this:

    Your game is not on top charts (of any country).

    This isn't funny.
     
  18. theamitgoyal

    theamitgoyal Active Member

    Feb 6, 2013
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    ^
    Strange. I thought the joke was rather obvious.
     

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