Developer of iPhone Drug-Dealing Game Fears Apple Banhammer
Developer of iPhone Drug-Dealing Game Fears Apple Banhammer
July 10, 2009
The top dog at U.K developer A-steroids, creator of Underworld: Sweet Deal for the iPhone, is worried that his company's game is going to be rejected by Apple over its drug-dealing theme.
As readers may recall, this is a bit of an ongoing saga. GamePolitics reported in December, 2008 that A-steroids had renamed the game, originally called DrugLords, in an effort to avoid an App Store ban. A few days later, an Englishwoman who lost her daughter to heroin abuse called upon Apple to ban the game, whatever its title.
Apparently the issue is still up in the air, based on an e-mail GamePolitics received today from Andrey Podoprigora, Head of Studio for A-steroids:
We have recently released our first game on the AppStore - Underworld: SweetDeal. The game was previously known as DrugLords, location-based MMO about dirty trade...
This week, we have submitted the game in it's original drug-trade setting to the AppStore. We were hoping that after the iPhone 3.0 came out with it's parental controls improved, there is a chance for the game to finally come through.
Now, we have got an update from Apple, saying they require "unexpected additional time for review". Which is sort of bad because we are already familiar with responses like that - in December, 2008 this led to months of silence and then ended up as a reject. Would be sad if it means nothing changes in Apple's app reviewing policy.
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Posted 03/16/10 at 04:14pm
ZippyDSMlee: JD:Ya but the organ grinder got tired of all "fluffing".
ZippyDSMlee: JD:Ya but the organ grinder got tired of all "fluffing".
Posted 03/16/10 at 11:45am
JDKJ: Have you tried partnering with an organ grinder? If you do a good job, passerbys will fawn over you and throw change in your tin cup.
JDKJ: Have you tried partnering with an organ grinder? If you do a good job, passerbys will fawn over you and throw change in your tin cup.
Posted 03/16/10 at 10:59am
ZippyDSMlee: JD is jsut pissy cuse he is not getting enough attnetion...hey neither am I damnit!!!!
ZippyDSMlee: JD is jsut pissy cuse he is not getting enough attnetion...hey neither am I damnit!!!!
Posted 03/16/10 at 10:18am
Valdearg: @Cminer: LMAO. I was about to say the same thing. The typical Youtube comment implies they've been at it for years.
Valdearg: @Cminer: LMAO. I was about to say the same thing. The typical Youtube comment implies they've been at it for years.
Posted 03/16/10 at 10:17am
CMiner: JDKJ: That happened years ago. Look at your average forum poster/youtube commentor/etc for proof.
CMiner: JDKJ: That happened years ago. Look at your average forum poster/youtube commentor/etc for proof.
Posted 03/16/10 at 10:16am
JDKJ: BREAKING: Goodall Institute for Primate Research teaches chimpazee how to type and post to the Internet.
JDKJ: BREAKING: Goodall Institute for Primate Research teaches chimpazee how to type and post to the Internet.
Posted 03/16/10 at 08:39am
ZippyDSMlee: Afirejar:Left you a warm pile in the Venezuela/censorship article. :P
ZippyDSMlee: Afirejar:Left you a warm pile in the Venezuela/censorship article. :P
Posted 03/15/10 at 04:05pm
Andrew Eisen: I'm still here and I'm doing a lot of behind the scenes work (as time permits me). But it's true, I've only written one piece under the new GP but if that Facebook/JT bit is the last thing I write for the site, I’d be okay with that.
Andrew Eisen: I'm still here and I'm doing a lot of behind the scenes work (as time permits me). But it's true, I've only written one piece under the new GP but if that Facebook/JT bit is the last thing I write for the site, I’d be okay with that.
Posted 03/15/10 at 04:01pm
ZippyDSMlee: I suppose its not inane enough for petes muses*giggles*
ZippyDSMlee: I suppose its not inane enough for petes muses*giggles*
Posted 03/15/10 at 03:55pm
PHX Corp: It had the Video Games tag on it, I thought that it had been a video game law that was concerning it
PHX Corp: It had the Video Games tag on it, I thought that it had been a video game law that was concerning it
Posted 03/15/10 at 03:54pm
JDKJ: And what happened to "Senior GP Correspondent, Andrew Eisen, reporting from San Diego [and who has a better finger on the pulse of GP's readership than some others]?" Huh? Did he fall victim to the Night of the Long Knives?
JDKJ: And what happened to "Senior GP Correspondent, Andrew Eisen, reporting from San Diego [and who has a better finger on the pulse of GP's readership than some others]?" Huh? Did he fall victim to the Night of the Long Knives?
Posted 03/15/10 at 03:53pm
Andrew Eisen: No, but my one example was not meant to cover the entire spectrum. Besides, multiplayer is a big part of video games.
Andrew Eisen: No, but my one example was not meant to cover the entire spectrum. Besides, multiplayer is a big part of video games.
Posted 03/15/10 at 03:50pm
Andrew Eisen: PHX Corp - Are you referring to AB 847? I haven't read the bill but the summary doesn't appear to apply to video games.
Andrew Eisen: PHX Corp - Are you referring to AB 847? I haven't read the bill but the summary doesn't appear to apply to video games.
Posted 03/15/10 at 03:49pm
DarkSaber: 2 mediocre games do not "a big part of video games" make.
DarkSaber: 2 mediocre games do not "a big part of video games" make.
Posted 03/15/10 at 03:49pm
JDKJ: I suspect that'll fall victim to the "pass." Wrong side of the fence. It's North Korea we aren't supposed to like.
JDKJ: I suspect that'll fall victim to the "pass." Wrong side of the fence. It's North Korea we aren't supposed to like.
Posted 03/15/10 at 03:48pm
DarkSaber: Although, following the "MW2 Made Lots of Money" excuse for a story, GP would be hard pressed to justify WHY they passed on it.
DarkSaber: Although, following the "MW2 Made Lots of Money" excuse for a story, GP would be hard pressed to justify WHY they passed on it.
Posted 03/15/10 at 03:47pm
Andrew Eisen: DS - Not necessarily. See recent Ubisoft stories.
Andrew Eisen: DS - Not necessarily. See recent Ubisoft stories.
Posted 03/15/10 at 03:47pm
Andrew Eisen: Zip - Or it will and GP hasn't had a chance in the last couple hours to get to it yet. Or yeah, maybe he’ll pass on it.
Andrew Eisen: Zip - Or it will and GP hasn't had a chance in the last couple hours to get to it yet. Or yeah, maybe he’ll pass on it.
Posted 03/15/10 at 03:46pm
DarkSaber: Only if you play multiplayer AE.
DarkSaber: Only if you play multiplayer AE.
Posted 03/15/10 at 03:45pm
Andrew Eisen: Except, aside from following up on an earlier story, GP frequently reports on internet censorship and net neutrality issues (the internet being a big part of video games and all).
Andrew Eisen: Except, aside from following up on an earlier story, GP frequently reports on internet censorship and net neutrality issues (the internet being a big part of video games and all).
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Game Politics and Game Politics logo are trademarks of the ECA.
Game Politics and Game Politics logo are trademarks of the ECA.
Comments
Boohoo for them.
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I LIKE the fence. I get 2 groups to laugh at then.
Now, we have got an update from Apple, saying they require "unexpected additional time for review". Which is sort of bad because we are already familiar with responses like that - in December, 2008 this led to months of silence and then ended up as a reject.
That is the worst. The fact that Apple takes their sweet time and ignores the developer until the app is approved or denied. Apple really needs to step up their approval process.
E. Zachary Knight
Oklahoma City Chapter of the ECA
http://www.theeca.com/chapters_oklahoma
A few days later, an Englishwoman who lost her daughter to heroin abuse called upon Apple to ban the game, whatever its title.
*Sigh*, another instance of someone letting their emotions destroy rational logic. Sure, it's an attempt to 'protect the children', but it's misguided.
I figure anytime that someone is trying to get something done, and their sole argument is that it's 'for the children' or to 'protect the children', they should be written off right away.
I remember Drug Lords in its original. It is an Apple app? No one really. Obscene? No not really. But there the potential for Apple to leave themselves over to criticism is Defiantly there. This game Will offend some people (trust me). Methinks Apple needs an Adult app. channel (as well as a sense of humor and some gonads).
Why make a game about drug dealing, and then bitch and whine when it gets banned?
If you're going to take on controversial subject matter, you'd better be ready to potentially be banned or sidelined. That the developer is crying about this is absurd and childish.
That's not to say Apple's approval process couldn't be refined, it certainly has a long ways to go...but these guys are just being idiots.
[i]Why make a game about drug dealing, and then bitch and whine when it gets banned?
If you're going to take on controversial subject matter, you'd better be ready to potentially be banned or sidelined. That the developer is crying about this is absurd and childish.[/i]
Maybe because people want to get that changed?
A game about drug dealing that mimics setting up a brokerage for illegal drugs ... srsly folks if we want to protect gaming freedom ya think this might be shooting out selves in the foot?