Amazon suppressed my game

Doguz

Anyone had an app suppressed by Amazon? It came out of the blue today and they offer no clues other than content guidelines. I've read the guidelines and as far as I can see I comply with them. I've wrote to them but waiting for a reply is killing me.

My app has been live and selling well for over a month, then this. And to rub salt into the wound, the app was due for a developer select promotion starting tomorrow (April 1).

Please don't tell me this is an April Fools Joke.

jonmulcahy

what's the apps name and what does it do?

Doguz

It's Flippy Fish. Yes it's a Flappy clone, but there are still a stack of others on Amazon. Wonder why mine was picked out.

jigglybean

They do it randomly. Happened to me. Drop them an email and ask why.

Chakku

It was probably just some reviewer who was having a bad day that decided to be a jerk

Chakku

Doguz

Well I couldn't get a clear reason from Amazon. All they said was my game 'resembled' another game in icon, description, and screen shots. And would not tell which game they are comparing it too.

My game contains all original art and I believe it was different enough to not be like any other. i.e I didn't have those green pipes, or even a bird in my game. Nor Flappy in the title.

So I changed my description to completely remove any 'flappy' reference.

The result. my app is now rejected - beyond repair. They say I can't amend or add an upcoming game to my title. Once it's rejected, all 'edit' buttons are gone. So Flippy Fish is now officially dead. RIP.

Some would say, easy come, easy go. Others would say so what, you ripped it off anyway. But one thing I've learnt is the higher you climb the ranks in these stores, the higher your fall is. Yeah, I'm pretty depressed right now.

It seems these app stores have a shoot first, ask questions later approach. They hold ALL rights to whats on their store and we just gotta play by their rules. Even if we are innocent. Sometimes you just need to let it go because arguing the point just gets you more angry. At the end of the day it's you against one reviewer and they really don't care about you. All my letters to Amazon were long and descriptive and asked many questions and seeking many answers, and all of Amazons replies were basically one sentence and left most questions unanswered. And this was 5-7 hours apart.

Time to move on.

iamcartez

Jeez that sucks and sounds like you got a crappy reviewer.

I guess we shouldn't try to hop on a trend unless we are like the 1st group to hop on it lol, I'm not sure.

I have retro bird on the amazon store and I'll probably get screwed over later as well but honestly I meet expected that game to get developer select so the free impressions are just a bonus that will hopefully give me some downloads.

Doguz

Flippy Fish 2 IS ALIVE!!!!

http://www.amazon.com/Trade-Ads-Flippy-Fish-2/dp/B00JFHZE78/ref=sr_1_2?s=mobile-apps&ie=UTF8&qid=1396513335&sr=1-2&keywords=flippy+fish+2

weblantis

Did you used for Flippy Fish 1 the same description as for your game Floppy Fish and they revoke it for this reason?

Doguz

Interesting theory @weblantis, but my Floppy fish description states very clearly that Floppy Fish is the FREE version of Flippy Fish.

It did cross my mind though.

Stupid thing is that Floppy Fish is still available, though they felt the paid version was against the rules. (It's the same game!)

Even weirder is its the exact opposite on Google Play. They banned Floppy Fish a week after release and allowed Flippy Fish to stay.

weblantis

It seems for me that for the review teams the old german saying is still alive "At the judge and sailing the deep sea you are in gods hand".

That are his rules and we often can't understand it.

Doguz

I sent my last message to Amazon to try to find out exactly why my game was killed. and this just came back

We reserve the right to determine the appropriateness of all apps and to accept or reject any app at our discretion. Due to the high volume of submissions, we cannot address specific areas of concern with our content guidelines. Please do not resubmit these apps or similar apps in the future.

So rather than help me out and try to steer me in the 'right' direction they just leave me guessing. 'These Apps' What are they referring to? One-tap games? 8-bit styled games? Games that consistently sell >100 p/day?

Well obviously they are referring to "Flappy-clones" but they just wont say it.

Hmmmm. I'm wondering if they are getting a push from someone to rid their store of the clones.

jigglybean

It all depends on who you reviews your app. I've emailed Amazon to ask them for some clarity because I am sick to the back teeth of different people saying different things. I've an app going through the process now, due for release today - friday.

Since Monday, I have been having developer attention emails with just one issue. I fix it, then another one pops up. I wouldnt mind if it was all blasted in one mail, and not one every day, its just plain stupid.

Amazon bitch about people using the Flappy Bird icon for example, but you just need to search their store to see hundreds of them being used. Then, lets not forget the use of Mario and Pebbles, Sonic, and other IP protected gaming icons that others have stolen just to use to promote their app when their game doesnt even have those characters in it.

Nothing but a bunch of idiots who unfortunately hold the keys to the door.

Doguz

I wrote a letter last night after being inspired to do so by @jigglybean I wrote about how unfair the suppression was and how other 'Flappy' games were allowed to stay on the store and others weren't. I didn't go to the extra that jiggly went but I expressed my disappointment and explained my opinions on how these flappy clones are now a genre and that they should be allowed to live out their life and naturally die out as all fads do.

And guess what?

Flippy Fish is live again. I haven't received any email message from Amazon yet to explain what they've done, but I'm happy and it's already sold 5.

lycettebros

It really is a mess the review process across all platforms.
There are no guidelines that can objectively cope with the subjective craziness of the App world. I would hate to be a reviewer because these types of problems are just unavoidable and the angry feedback that will ensue.

I know it 'aint popular but working with black and white projects is going to avoid these situations and working with grey and grey is going to promote them and I say that very tentatively

@jigglybean has proven with persistence and clear arguments you can create some sense of order. Perhaps it is just an example of the squeakiest wheel gets the oil but if that is what it takes then so be it.

I do not think there is a way to design an objective reviewing process that can deal with this world.

Congrats @Doguz

jigglybean

Welldone @Doguz - My app was rejected again, which just proves how stupid Amazon are. The word flappy and bird, even Flappy Bird are not copyright (I do know a company are trying to do this though and its not from the actual creator of the game).

But when you allow use of the images from actual IP protected games, allow other clones to thrive, the standard is then set, making it difficult to reject anything else. Had Amazon or any other online store said 'we are actually full now on Flappy esq games, so we are rejecting you', then that would make more sense.

Personally, I think that working with Amazon is just hard work and looking at the impact it would have if we decide not to release projects there going forward.