I just updated my Ancient Vampire game but is not in the new release list…then i discover this:
What do you think?
i think that maybe i will release new games instead of update old games with new features to increase visibility.
For example we are updating our Supernova Blast with new graphics and other features. Probably we will release Supernova Blast 2.
I support this change.
90% of app updates were irrelevant with no real new feature, only made to have visibility once again.
Yes there are Advantages too.
But is a significant change for indie developers in my opinion.
For the rest of 10% updates with a lot of new features i think we are ( developer like me with a big problem of visibility ) pushed to release new game.
Honestly, I don’t see any change for anyone who don’t rely on this appstore flaw to be more visible 
Visibility don’t have to be made on appstore listing, but with a real marketing (adds, reviews, etc). Where it deserves to be done, in fact ^^
It’s quite tiring for users to browse appstore list in order to find new interesting products.
(only my opinion)
I underlined we are indie developers, so for me, maybe not for all, App Store listing is rilevant. Very rilevant.
This change is not a flaw, but for me is a rilevant change.
And this is a change for user too ( few users ) because if the will like play with my updated game ( new graphic and features ) the will have to pay again.
An advantage of course is that new release list will not flowded with app updates.
PS: we are paying an external agency for marketing but for now we don’t have rilevant results.
That would be nice if it actually worked. The fact is, in the real world, 95% of visibility is on the app store itself. I’ve yet to hear from a single person who said that advertising an iPhone app actually made more money than it cost for the ads.
The only real marketing you can do is to make something good and hope Apple features it. This worked for a number of Unity games (including mine), but it’s not exactly something you can plan on.
–Eric
In an case there is a positive change.
New game will be visible more time in new release list.
In fact, that’s how I see “deserved visibility” : making something good enough to see it propagated by good reviews
Not for long…I expect people will simply release their updates as new apps instead, which will make the situation even worse…
–Eric
so where is marketing plan if we hope to be featured?
Make a good game is not always enough.
This a bad new for costumers. i don’t know if they will pay again for the few features.
Actually I believe there is some clarity in this whole app store. Making a good game IS what is going to make a successful game. Advertisements or marketing won’t play as large a role as the overall quality of the app.
In this way, Apple is telling developers to forum on their apps, not the extra marketing/advertising. A good app will sell.
I doubt very much people that releasing updates as new apps will become widespread. Support for multiple apps is going to be very time consuming, plus any visibility in the store you gain is going to be quickly countered by negative reviews concerning this practice.
I simply not Agree.
There are a lot of good Apps that are lost in the App Store.
And there are poor apps that sell very good. ( and with a lot of 1 star reviews )
To be featured by Apple is so important and sometimes ( not always ) i see featured very low quality apps in new and noteworthy Category.
Featured or not to be featured , that’s the problem :lol:
For me App Store need to be improved.
This is my opinion of course.
I cannot overstate how much I support updates not pushing an app back to the top of the list. It was a mistake to even make that happen. Now, I think Apple needs to start rejecting applications and games with similar functionality to existing applications unless they truly supersede the current offerings, which may have to be removed when they fall below a certain sales threshold.
Agreed - also have a minimum quality bar (at work, Nintendo, Microsoft and SONY won’t just let us put anything out - the quality of the product needs to reach a minimum quality bar before it’s allowed to be sold).
No more iFart and useless applications full of pictures of semi-naked women. Let’s just make it well thought out, proper stuff on there.
For this problem I vote for a premium category apps but for now there is not a solution.
But let me explain with a concrete example.
My Supernova Blast is selling Zero copies now, is completely lost in the Store. ( now is free )
With this game i had only 4-5 star reviews ( reviews with comments).
If i release a big update ( Completely new graphics and new features ) nobody will pay for my efford.
So probably i will release Supernova 2 ( i will have also other promo codes )
But i’m sorry for old customers because if they will like to play with the new game they will have to pay again. That’s all.
This is the result of recent App Store change for me.
The unfortunate part of that, is anyone who buys Supernova 2 will have to accept the risk that if there is another update, they won’t get it. Instead, you’ll release Super Nova 3 instead. Best solution, if you were going down that route, would be to update the original, and do a new app, so your old customers stay up to date.
For example Pangea Soft released Enigmo 2 as new App.
Same game concept.
Little update of course have to be free.
In any case thank you for suggestion. i will think about it.
But the problem in these cases is a total invisibility in the App Store.
It’s fair to show new releases only.
All they need now is a “recent Updates” list to promote such apps and developers who support their games and custumers requests.
Anyway, an idea how to make updates while staying on the list of new apps:
Take the old app from the store - release the new app “MyAppName 2”, set the price 99 cent higher. Sell the new features as in-app-purchase for “MyAppName 1” for 99 cent. After some weeks lower the price for “MyAppName 2” by 99 cents again.
(or is it possible to sell in-app-purchases for free?)
The only problem is that in-app-purchases does not wok with unity yet, right? And i don’t know if you can sell in-app-purchases for apps that aren’t listed on the store anymore.
I support the change, an update is not a new release and the system was being abused. In addition, people who were abusing it by updating (claiming bug fixes) every day was clogging up the approval system for the real “new” apps.
It’s about time Apple stopped the abuse.
To fix that, Apple should start charging to each app released. A fee, such as $50. The extra benefit from this is we will have less morons releasing auto-dialers and other useless trash.