As highlighted by our sister site TouchArcade, a group of independent developers across a broad array of platforms are having a weeklong sale on their apps celebrating their distribution through marketplaces that allow developers to set their own pricing. Operating under the banner of Because We May, the developers are in many cases offering very significant discounts on their apps.
/article-new/2012/05/because_we_may.jpg?lossy)
We believe that developers should have the freedom to price their games how they like, without interference from the online stores that sell the games. Why? Because it allows us to promote our games more freely, as we are doing here! We rely on the ability to promote our games for our livelihood and control over pricing is an important tool for this purpose.
From now until June 1, the group is inviting all interested developers to join the promotion, which currently includes nearly 150 iOS App Store titles, almost 50 Mac App Store titles, and an assortment of other games available via Google Play for Android, Steam, and other marketplaces.
The list of iOS games already involved in the sale includes popular titles such as World of Goo, Osmos, Eliss, Canabalt, Spider: The Secret of Bryce Manor, and Zen Bound 2.
Top Rated Comments
(View all)Apple has a pretty great program compared to some.
Other "App Stores" have contracts that say they can REPRICE your app to "market" pricing.
Some even have clauses that say that they are allowed to give your product away for FREE. Yes -- the developer does not get not a single penny if "honored" by such a day long promotion.
There are still a few flaws in Apple's App Store, but it really sets the bar for fairness compared to some other stores.
I'm assuming they're upset that Apple takes a cut (30% of the profit), rather then not being able to price it exactly at the "dollar" amount they want.
That's a weird assumption. Of course the retailer takes a cut! Hard to believe, but this movement may actually be in favor of Apple's pricing model. :)
I'd guess the problem has to do with retailers not involved in the promotion. Amazon?
I'm assuming they're upset that Apple takes a cut (30% of the profit), rather then not being able to price it exactly at the "dollar" amount they want.
Either way everyone wins with this kind of a sale :)
I assume you didn't bother to read the linked page or you would have seen that in fact nope. Not at all .
from the page
"For the last week of May (May 24 through June 1) our games will be deeply discounted to celebrate online stores that give us control over pricing: The App Store, Google Play, Steam, Desura, IndieVania, and a few others."
They aren't complaining about 30% cuts--they're complaining about retailers like Amazon who are known for setting app prices and offering sales without the developer's consent.
I don't understand... what are they complaining about? Is someone dictating their prices? I'm just confused here. Can someone clear that up for me? I thought you submit an app to i.e. Apple for the App Store and then it gets approved and you set a price and Apple gets a share. Am I wrong? Someone who actually publishes, can you enlighten me? Or is this just a tribute the agency model vs. the in-store publishers for boxed software?
I don't think it's a protest per-se. They describe it as a "celebration", which is a kinda cheesy term, but I think they're just using it as a means to gather attention to their products. Closest to your last line, most likely (the tribute to the agency model).
jW