So I was checking out freeappaday yesterday and I noticed that there is this game called Original Gangstaz that is being promoted. This game is now #9 in the app store, but the interesting thing is that they have 13000 5 star ratings! I downloaded it and played for a bit and here is how they get there 5 star ratings. In their game, they have an in-game item called lotto ticket that you usually get by paying real money. But they are now offering everyone a free lotto ticket if you leave a 5 star review on itunes. Now this really begs the question of whether these 13000 5 star ratings are legit or not, they are clearly telling people to just mindlessly give them a 5 star rating. What do you guys think about this, is this the only way to get ahead of other competitors?
lol, I know that you can make a popup asking for a review, but you really can check how many stars someone gave you ? how does that work...
Question is: Does the player know that you can't check what review has he/she given you? 99% they will do what they are asked (5 star review), out of good faith. Basic psychology.
Step 1: Install the game just to leave a 1-star rating describing this shilling practise. Step 2: Update your review daily to prevent it from getting buried. Step 3: Lack of profit! Hopefully. Enough people do it, there will be a bunch of floating 1-star reviews at the top. Sadly, you gotta fight douche with douche.
Really guys? Really? This is no different then when all those other developers, including Lima Sky's Doodle Jump, says "Your 5 star rating keeps updates coming." in their update description. Soliciting 5 star reviews is, to my knowledge, not against any rules. So, if what they are doing bothers you, maybe you should file a complaint so Apple can read your email then swiftly delete it.
Have to agree here. Lots of Devs promise continued updates if the 5 star reviews keep coming. Finger Physics, Doodle Jump, and Pocket God just to name a few. It takes nothing away from the game in my opinion, and since this one is free (with paid in-game add ons), what's the real harm of a bunch of 5 star reviews? I actually have this game, and I knew full good and well that I could have easily left a 1 star review and still received my in-game rewards, but it's a free game, and I've gotten a TON of enjoyment out of it, so I didn't mind leaving the 5 star for them.
Seriously? 1) It's giving positive reviews under false pretenses. 2) That makes the reviews and ratings utterly worthless because people aren't necessarily reviewing honestly and giving their true opinions -- and in case you've forgotten, that's what reviews are for. That leads to... 3) More sales for the developer because people get a false sense of how good the game is due to all of the bullshit reviews and end up buying it. 4) It makes the developer a douche for trying to boost sales with artificial positive reviews. Remember: That's called "shilling" and shilling is a douchey thing to do. tl;dr: Buying 5-star reviews is a douchebag move and devalues the whole purpose of reviews.
While I think this is a bad tactic, just let it go. Don't go organizing a group to go leave 1 star reviews. For every person that downloads the game you are just giving them more exposure in the Top 25 Free list. Just let it go.
That's different. If people hate doodle jump, Limasky will not update because it would be worth it. Basic reason. That original gangstarz way Is way stupid.
In the end, it's the same concept. Like I said, both developers are soliciting 5 star reviews, which nobody should have a problem with. Doodle Jump's incentive is more updates, gangstarz incentive is a lotto ticket. Who's to say those 5 star reviews are fake or real? Again, in the end, it's just soliciting 5 stars -- big woop. (/.-),
Questionable business ethics? Definitely. But that's just the AppStore..Every dev who puts out a game has to think of some way to claw their way to the top, this is just a new method. Its sketchy without a doubt, but hey, that's life. Btw, West Siiiide lol.
When Apple removes the massive bias towards negative ratings I'll get more up in arms over things like this. Right now it's completely retarded that they remind people to rate your app as they're deleting it, and also default it to the lowest possible review. This isn't a huge impact with paid applications, but it's a massive problem with free apps where there's a ton of people who download it just to check it out and promptly delete it. Doesn't matter if it's good or not .. just might not be their cup of tea. And to any of you that think such a thing doesn't have a substantial impact, ask anyone who was doing free apps before Apple added that "feature" if it had a massive change on their ratings. It had a huge impact on ours, as well as every other app I saw live at the time. As long as that kind of a system is in place, you're going to see more and more people doing whatever they can to offset the stupidity, and frankly, I say more power to them.
All great points, and normally I would agree, but the game is free. It has in-app purchases you can make if you want to, but the basic game is 100% free. So if people feel as though got tricked by the 5 star reviews, they can just delete it without being out any money. As I said, I gave it 5 stars because I actually like the game and think it's one of the better MMOs of this type in the store. Now I just wish Zynga would get off their tails and make a proper Mafia Wars and not the watered down version that is in there.
I don't agree with this at all. From a developer stand point, these guys are clearly exploiting the review system. It makes me wonder if I should just do the same trick with my app and get these "so called 5 star reviews" instead of actually working my butt off and creating something that people legitimately like. Now from a buyer point of view, does it mean that I should now ignore the review system in the app store because it's very likely that they are just another Original Gangstaz.
Whether it's free or pay is wholly irrelevant. It damages the credibility of the review system as a whole. People are giving it five starts solely to keep the updates coming per the developer's instructions. Not all of them, obviously, but that's the point: There's no way to tell whose reviews are genuine and whose are there just for the updates, which renders every single review useless. He's gaming the system, and while it isn't against the rules, it is ethically bankrupt, and I for one would never buy or download anything from Zynga. I will not support dishonesty.
