There's nothing in writing from Google that games will not be promoted on the marketplace without a rating just rumors. - but - there is no other reason to suspect that the new rating system as it applies to mobile phones would be different than the one for desktops and consoles. Why would it? It’s the same content, just a different distribution platform. So yes, when this announcement is made then there will be two types of games - games with a rating and games without - and like on all other platforms the hopes of getting your game in to a mainstream outlet would require an upfront cost of $800 for a rating. It couldn't be anything other than that or console game developers and other game developers would cry fowl at having to pay two fees for the same rating on two platforms. Also all of the mobile companies involved would have to accept this agreement or be seen as allowing children access to violent games by customers / competition, and if they accept the terms of the ESRB mobile rating system then there's no addition need for more useless legislation from the government.
In the end the small developer loses, I can pay $800 for a rating, it would take me months to save up for it, but in the end I have to now make up the loss of the rating cost and then after I dig out of that hole if I'm lucky. Only months later would I see a profit from my game on the store. Then we'd still be fighting against the mega AAA titles which now litter featured marketplace. Also this goes even further because now we have a breakup of the android marketplace with Verizon and Amazon both pushing their own separate app stores which all have a separate submission process and hoops to jump through. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Developers" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
