Apples rejection freaks me out

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Update: the update was eventually approved, without having to modify screenshots. And another update has since also passed without problems.

The above screenshot is the reason that Gunslugs 2 is not receiving the big update on iPhone/iPad. This same screenshot has been there since the original release of the game which didn’t prove any problem and was approved without any issues or delays. It has even been there during the “best new games” feature on the frontpage of iTunes..

Two weeks ago I created a big update adding Daily Challenges, this update has been live on PC,Mac, Android, Ouya, FireTV and ChromeOS for some time now. And I understand that Apple curates their content so updates take a bit longer on their platform.

However, after eleven days Apple rejected the update specifying that the game violates the 4+ age rating.

I checked, and I had set the age rating to 12+.. so I was a bit confused, replied in their very anonymous “do-not-replay-but-contact-us-like-this”-form in the developer backend.  I also re-submitted the game, cause there was nothing to change on my end.

Today I received a reply, game still rejected, because that screenshot (and possibly all screenshots from my game) show violence against a human being.

I could argue here that the Gunslugs look more like flee’s with heads than anything human.. but right now I told them that’s how the game looks, in high-resolution pixel-art, and that I can either upload black screenshots or simply opt out of updating the games and tell my iOS fans that they can grab the updated content on Android, ChromeOS, Steam, Ouya or FireTV..

I’m a bit lost right now.. and there is no “real person” I can contact about this to explain to me why

1) it was approved in the first upload
2) there are much more violent or graphical images found on other games on iTunes
3) this has never been an issue with any of my games
4) how I can solve uploading screenshots about an arcade run and gun shooter game without showing violence

 

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