Rejection From Apple Review - Design: Spam

Hey guys,

Starting November 2017 Apple rejected my several new games. Really good games!

That is what they say:

From Apple
4. 3 Design: Spam
Guideline 4.3 - Design

We noticed that your app provides the same feature set as other apps that have been submitted to the App Store (either under your own account or across multiple developer accounts) and simply varies in content or language.

Apps that simply duplicate content or functionality create clutter, diminish the overall experience for the end user, and reduce the ability of developers to market their apps.

We encourage you to review your app concept and incorporate different content and features that are in compliance with the App Store Review Guidelines.

Best regards,
App Store Review​

Do you experience the same thing and did you manage to get that through?

 

sounds like your games are clones, and they stated last year they were going to be tough on cloned games and reject them.
You may need to change them up a bit, make them different.. look different...

 

Well does your app contain the same content as your other ones?

 

[QUOTE="You may need to change them up a bit, make them different.. look different...[/QUOTE]

Right, I changed them A LOT! They are completely fresh looking NEW! With Fresh design!
The thing is, I suppose, I use the same mechanic, that is my guess.

Oh, I work in a KID's category - so I just want to know if that is only me, who is so "lucky" or are there any other folks with other categories as well.

 

some of my games contain the same characters. But I also made a brand NEW game which is very different from my other stuff. But they rejected that as well.

Here are my games: www.kidapp.ru

Some of them are in the top! But I can not even update my TOP games for the same weird SPAM reason.

 

You are not alone.
I have several differents games and at some point 2 months ago when I was trying to update my games, I have received the same message. Since then, I am unable to publish update or new games. Everything is rejected. I’m in the process on creating a new account for my new games...

 

I see, yea i know a guy who makes language apps, you know , learn spanish, learn french, etc. He has every language.
He made all his from one, and just changed the language in them. He is now facing the same issues.
He found he had to change every single one of them to look 100% different, with different concepts in them .
its a tough one, but maybe you will need to do the same.
I was looking at your kids games and straight up i saw three the same with slight different objects etc, and different names. that may be there issue in what they are calling spam, not sure...

 

Somehow I like Apple's fight to reduce the spam on the App Store, especially nowadays when everyone can make games and apps without coding. BUT they have to try harder in order to do it right. Yesterday someone posted here on forums an App Store link to a cloned color switch. How did that one pass the review team, I wonder.

 

I have an new app that was approved not problems on the iOS app store it was a contracted developer that created this and licensed all the images music and game play etc.

Tower tumbler
https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/tower-tumbler/id1439988866?mt=8

The developer has told me that no one else has published this game or even done anything with it so its almost impossible to determine similar games to this. As well we have done research on the app store couldn't find an App like it.
I submitted an update and for the first time ever I got a 4.3 Spam rejection.

I have a call now with Apple during the week.

 

Do not use templates or reskin games if you do you risk being rejected by Apple because of the 4.3 Spam.

Apple doesn't accept apps for easy money any more. The only way you can do this is remake the game from scratch because it won't be the same binary and Apple would see it as a a new game, just make sure you use a different name that no one uses and make sure you don't use the same images. You will be fine.

 

good news!!! I won!!!

over coming the 4.3 spam issue.

took a month but my update was finally approved today.

What I did was go through AppNotice which are Apples legal department I got the developers details from them and then proceeded to request to take down there app, the developer agreed and then my app was approved by apple

so if you get this just ask the other developers to take down the clones of your apps and you will be fine.

 

Darius, from Appsir games had this issue with Dere.exe. And his game is super unique. Not even close to a clone. It seems they are tightening their rules. Its like applying for disability....you always get rejected the first time. So you have to apply again lolol.

 

You have to request a call with Apple App reviewer

steps I took to get out of this issue and get stuff approved again
- submit an appeal first, with requesting a call from an App reviewer.
- They will then explain to you what apps on the app store play the same as your or what they think are.
- Download the other developers games and test them.
- if they are clones then you need to then contact the Appnotices@apple.com o get the developers details.
- Then once you have there details and a case is open contact them to remove there app.
- If they agree you problem will be solved
- Then you need to contact the app review team via submit appeal again with any update and confirmation that the clone is removed from the app store.
- the app reviewer will then approve you app right away and you will no longer have the spam issue on that specific app.

That is how I got out of the issue, if you can prove you own the rights to the app and get the other developers with the clones to remove there apps then you will be seen as the sole developer for that app binary and no one will be able to clone you app.

 

He just resubmitted it and another reviewer approved it lol. Easy.

 

hi all
KidApp what did you do to solve the problem
thanks

 

Hi all,

I submitted my first app to the App store and it got rejected on Design 4.3. It was a completely original game. I made an appeal to the review board explaining what was different and unique about my app and got this message after 2 days... "Thank you for your reply. We appreciate your efforts to comply with the App Store Review Guidelines, and we look forward to reviewing your resubmitted app."

Does anyone have any advice what to do next?

 

Resubmit it. That's what they are asking. They don't mention about changes etc.

 

Update: I replied to the "App Review Team" aka the powers that be that I had no idea what they wanted me to do and if I knew, I would make any modifications they would like. I received an email a couple of hours later that the app was approved and would be available in the store. I basically did not upload again other than sending the email. Just sharing in case others face this problem. Don't give up hope.

 

The entire process makes no sense sometimes. Especially if they claim 'spam' and you see 30 clones of Helix jump released the same day.

 

Have similar experience multiple times