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.
Comments
Re: Developer of iPhone Drug-Dealing Game Fears Apple ...
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?
Re: Developer of iPhone Drug-Dealing Game Fears Apple ...
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.
Re: Developer of iPhone Drug-Dealing Game Fears Apple ...
[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?
Re: Developer of iPhone Drug-Dealing Game Fears Apple ...
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).
Re: Developer of iPhone Drug-Dealing Game Fears Apple ...
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.
Re: Developer of iPhone Drug-Dealing Game Fears Apple ...
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
E. Zachary Knight
Divine Knight Gaming
Random Tower: Game News and Commentary
Re: Developer of iPhone Drug-Dealing Game Fears Apple ...
Boohoo for them.
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I LIKE the fence. I get 2 groups to laugh at then.