'Joe Danger' crashing back into App Store after appeal from parent of autistic child

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in iOS
The creators of 'Joe Danger' have relaunched the game on the App Store, making it again playable on the latest iOS -- because an autistic boy's parent asked them to.




As of 2017, older 32-bit games ceased working in the then-current iOS 11. It was because of the move to 64-bit apps, and Apple had been warning developers since 2014.

One such app was "Joe Danger," a successful racing game that began life on the PlayStation. Now its developer has brought it back to the App Store. "remastered with improved visuals, high frame rate, ProMotion and Gamepad support."

The developer, Hello Games, revealed on Twitter that the company's "secret shame" was that it had let "Joe Danger" lapse while concentrating on its blockbuster "No Man's Sky." But then the company got a letter that "broke our hearts."

A secret shame of ours is that the success of No Man's Sky left our first game Joe Danger unloved. Sadly since iOS culled older games it no longer worked on latest Apple devices

This mail broke our hearts and made us want to set things right pic.twitter.com/Oz2yTjMUK5

-- Sean Murray (@NoMansSky)


The full letter from a parent of 8-year-old Jack, who has autism, says that "Joe Danger" has allowed him "to interact and have fun with friends and family alike." It has "allowed Jack to experience 'normal kid stuff'."

Jack's parent says that losing it in an iOS update, and not having a new version, is a problem.

"As children with autism have difficulty with change, any other version just won't do," continues the letter. "The App Store, rather casually I must admit, suggests 'contacting the developer' to update the app to get it to work, as if that were something that was done every day."

"But Jack asked me to do it for him, so here I am."

Jack's parent, whose name has not been revealed, recognized in the letter that it may not be possible for the developer to bring it back. "But it would mean the world to at least one little boy," concludes the letter.

The newly revamped "Joe Danger" is $1.99 on the App Store.

Read on AppleInsider

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 13
    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac Posts: 11,421member
    This is good.
    But I wonder how people like Greta Thunberg, Bill Gates and Elon Musk feel about being lumped in with generalizations like:   "[People] with autism have have difficulty with change" (or whatever stereotype about autism you want to name).

    None of those autistic people have trouble with change.  In fact, they have changed or are changing the whole F-n world.

  • Reply 2 of 13
    I would think one would realize there are levels of autism and each has its own challenges. So, to answer your question, I don’t think they’d mind. I suppose you could ask them?

    I bought the app just to support this company. Seems they may have a heart. 
    JanNL
  • Reply 3 of 13
    BeatsBeats Posts: 3,073member
    This is good.
    But I wonder how people like Greta Thunberg, Bill Gates and Elon Musk feel about being lumped in with generalizations like:   "[People] with autism have have difficulty with change" (or whatever stereotype about autism you want to name).

    None of those autistic people have trouble with change.  In fact, they have changed or are changing the whole F-n world.

    When you say “they” I’m sure you mean Greta and Elon. Bill hasn’t changed the world. He built his empire stealing from Apple.  Every idea Microsoft makes gets quickly discontinued like those Fitbit things and that computer knob. Oh you just mean his donations that he started contributing out of guilt. Those count I’d say.
  • Reply 4 of 13
    BeatsBeats Posts: 3,073member
    I don’t understand why developers abandon apps after a change like 64-bit. It’s disrespectful to the customer. The article even mentions it was a successful app. It shouldn’t have taken a “heart breaking” fan letter. 
  • Reply 5 of 13
    chadbagchadbag Posts: 1,999member
    Beats said:
    I don’t understand why developers abandon apps after a change like 64-bit. It’s disrespectful to the customer. The article even mentions it was a successful app. It shouldn’t have taken a “heart breaking” fan letter. 
    It says they were busy with their next hit.  Not every developer has the resources to fully maintain "old" stuff while working on the latest and greatest.   

    I fully empathize with your statement but reality sometimes steps in.  
    williamlondonGeorgeBMac
  • Reply 6 of 13
    BeatsBeats Posts: 3,073member
    chadbag said:
    Beats said:
    I don’t understand why developers abandon apps after a change like 64-bit. It’s disrespectful to the customer. The article even mentions it was a successful app. It shouldn’t have taken a “heart breaking” fan letter. 
    It says they were busy with their next hit.  Not every developer has the resources to fully maintain "old" stuff while working on the latest and greatest.   

    I fully empathize with your statement but reality sometimes steps in.  

    Yeah dude, as if I didn’t read the article. I know you think you’re smart but my statement still stands 100%. Apps should stay on the App Store especially if paid for.
    williamlondon
  • Reply 7 of 13
    chadbagchadbag Posts: 1,999member
    Beats said:
    chadbag said:
    Beats said:
    I don’t understand why developers abandon apps after a change like 64-bit. It’s disrespectful to the customer. The article even mentions it was a successful app. It shouldn’t have taken a “heart breaking” fan letter. 
    It says they were busy with their next hit.  Not every developer has the resources to fully maintain "old" stuff while working on the latest and greatest.   

    I fully empathize with your statement but reality sometimes steps in.  

    Yeah dude, as if I didn’t read the article. I know you think you’re smart but my statement still stands 100%. Apps should stay on the App Store especially if paid for.
    I think the statement "I know you think you're smart" would be better applied to you.  

    I empathize with you and am really annoyed when an app I like no longer runs after an update.  However, the App I paid for ran on the stated versions at the time I paid for it.  There is no commitment or promise that the app will run on future versions.   I got what I paid for.   And for smaller devs it is not reasonable for you to expect them to have the resources to continually be updating older apps as iOS changes.  
    williamlondonmuthuk_vanalingam
  • Reply 8 of 13
    mknelsonmknelson Posts: 1,117member
    This is good.
    But I wonder how people like Greta Thunberg, Bill Gates and Elon Musk feel about being lumped in with generalizations like:   "[People] with autism have have difficulty with change" (or whatever stereotype about autism you want to name).

    None of those autistic people have trouble with change.  In fact, they have changed or are changing the whole F-n world.

    That's why the call it a spectrum - it's not a one-size-fits-all diagnostic.

    Some get obsessed (OCD even) on one specific thing - some don't, some can't empathize with other people, some can. Heck - you could look at Greta Thunberg and Elon Musk and see their obsessions and focus. Getting them to budge from that is near impossible.

    Beats said:
    I don’t understand why developers abandon apps after a change like 64-bit. It’s disrespectful to the customer. The article even mentions it was a successful app. It shouldn’t have taken a “heart breaking” fan letter. 
    It's not always simply a matter of checking a compiler box and recompiling. Most applications have third party library dependencies. Updating from 32 to 64 bit could take a lot of testing and re-coding if those libraries have to change - and that's assuming the libraries were even updated.
  • Reply 9 of 13
    I'm buying the game, just because the story made me feel good.
  • Reply 10 of 13
    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac Posts: 11,421member
    igforbes said:
    I would think one would realize there are levels of autism and each has its own challenges. So, to answer your question, I don’t think they’d mind. I suppose you could ask them?

    I bought the app just to support this company. Seems they may have a heart. 

    Different levels?   There are different types.  But you wouldn't know it from the generalizations from this story.
    Is there any real difference between:
    "All black people...."
    vs
    "All autistic people..."

    And yes, autistic people object to those false generalizations just as black people do.  

  • Reply 11 of 13
    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac Posts: 11,421member
    mknelson said:
    This is good.
    But I wonder how people like Greta Thunberg, Bill Gates and Elon Musk feel about being lumped in with generalizations like:   "[People] with autism have have difficulty with change" (or whatever stereotype about autism you want to name).

    None of those autistic people have trouble with change.  In fact, they have changed or are changing the whole F-n world.

    That's why the call it a spectrum - it's not a one-size-fits-all diagnostic.

    Some get obsessed (OCD even) on one specific thing - some don't, some can't empathize with other people, some can. Heck - you could look at Greta Thunberg and Elon Musk and see their obsessions and focus. Getting them to budge from that is near impossible.

    The APA lumped the different types of autism into a single category and then tried to excuse their inexcusable generalization by calling it a vaguely defined "spectrum" that can mean whatever you want it to mean.  In the end, what they really did was to promote and support generalizations like the ones in this story that characterize all autistic people down to the lowest common denominator.  Why would the APA do that?   Follow the money:   "fixing" autistic kids has become a profitable industry -- but who could justify "fixing" a Greta Thunberg, Bill Gates or Elon Musk?

    These incorrect generalizations are now pervasive throughout the industry "treating" autistic kids.  And, it is why autistic people who are able to speak for themselves have rejected those generalizations and respond to them by saying:   "Nothing about us without us".


  • Reply 12 of 13
    Hopefully playing this sympathy card helps sales, no?
    williamlondon
  • Reply 13 of 13
    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac Posts: 11,421member
    michelb76 said:
    Hopefully playing this sympathy card helps sales, no?

    That would be fine by me.  If helping somebody who needs help increases sales that's great!  It's what capitalism is all about:   self interest, but not solely for the sake of the self, but for the sake of contributing to society.
    muthuk_vanalingam
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