Tell HN: Google bans my game for referencing Covid-19, which I designed in 2017

Re:Tell HN: Google bans my game for referencing Covid-19, wh... by tetromino_ on Monday May 18, 2020 @08:22PM (#23229951)

IMHO, releasing a new pandemic game (where I assume your goal is to kill as many people as possible with a virus) in the middle of a real-life pandemic is tone-deaf. It also very much looks like "appearing to profit from a tragic event with no discernible benefit to the victims" which is an example of banned content at https://play.google.com/about/restricted-content/inappropria...

If you really want to release this right now on a different platform, maybe follow the example of Plague Inc's developer: https://www.ndemiccreations.com/en/news/175-plague-inc-gives...

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Re:Tell HN: Google bans my game for referencing Covid-19, wh... by LukaszO on Monday May 18, 2020 @09:23PM (#23230357)

"where I assume your goal is to kill as many people as possible with a virus" Game goal is the opposite. I can't imagine i can run funds or donate anything, i am a single private person, ndemic creations is a professional company.

You can check out the game here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1305370/Pandemia_Virus_Ou...

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Re:Tell HN: Google bans my game for referencing Covid-19, wh... by rnotaro on Monday May 18, 2020 @09:40PM (#23230465)

Your main trailer when I open the steam store page is not in english. You should present the english trailer first.

Does steam allows different screenshot / videos for different languages?

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Re:Tell HN: Google bans my game for referencing Covid-19, wh... by LukaszO on Tuesday May 19, 2020 @01:41AM (#23231592)

Thanks for the info, i changed videos order. You can set the language for the video and screenshots but it somehow displays for everyone.

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Re:Tell HN: Google bans my game for referencing Covid-19, wh... by JacksonGariety on Monday May 18, 2020 @08:37PM (#23230055)

Aren't a lot of people profiting off of coronavirus? Zoom, Nintendo, Netflix, etc.? And what about viral apocalypse movies like 'Contagion'?

This stuff helps people cope with stress.

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Re:Tell HN: Google bans my game for referencing Covid-19, wh... by arsenide on Monday May 18, 2020 @11:47PM (#23231118)

"releasing a new pandemic game"

Developed across the last 3 years? This seems like an inapt description of what OP described here.

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Re:Tell HN: Google bans my game for referencing Covid-19, wh... by runawaybottle on Tuesday May 19, 2020 @03:13AM (#23232155)

I’ll argue that it is not tasteless because it is a natural phenomena.

Tone deaf would be a Columbine FPS (which the shooters I think made themselves).

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Re:Tell HN: Google bans my game for referencing Covid-19, wh... by lopmotr on Tuesday May 19, 2020 @03:52AM (#23232390)

natural disasters are explicitly listed as banned by the Play Store link the GP posted.

"We don't allow apps that lack reasonable sensitivity towards or capitalize on a natural disaster, atrocity, conflict, death, or other tragic event."

Seems like a clear violation even if it is a stupid rule.

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Re:Tell HN: Google bans my game for referencing Covid-19, wh... by runawaybottle on Tuesday May 19, 2020 @05:21AM (#23232918)

Doesn’t make sense, what if you simulate a virus spread or Hurricane?

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Re:Tell HN: Google bans my game for referencing Covid-19, wh... by andromeduck on Tuesday May 19, 2020 @05:36AM (#23233003)

Who are you to judge what content we can and can't enjoy?

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