Apple Rejects HappyPlayTime Sex-Ed Game

Andy Chalk

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Nov 12, 2002
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Apple Rejects HappyPlayTime Sex-Ed Game


Apple says HappyPlayTime, a non-pornographic game designed to "eliminate the stigma around female masturbation," is too racy for the App Store.

The title doesn't really give it away, but HappyPlayTime is a game about "making female masturbation friendly." It's not pornographic, though, but educational, and stars a smiling, interactive vulva named Happy.

"Sexuality is one of the most basic instincts of human beings. Being comfortable with your own sexual pleasure is a prerequisite to both being able to healthily accept pleasure from others, and pleasing others," the HappyPlayTime website explains. "Unfortunately for many women, there has been a cultural stigma that blocks access to self-stimulation. HappyPlayTime is here to eliminate this barrier as much as possible. By talking openly and lightheartedly about female masturbation, we are taking the first step to becoming truly sexually liberated."

It's an admirable goal, but apparently not one that Apple feels comfortable supporting. Despite the complete absence of graphic content in the HappyPlayTime app, it rejected both the initial App Store submission and an appeal filed last week by creator Tina Gong, saying it violated two restrictions: One against "excessively objectionable or crude content," and one forbidding "pornographic material."

"While we understand your intentions behind the app, we find that the app concept is not appropriate for the store at this time," Apple wrote in its rejection letter. "We also found that your app currently includes erotic and mature themes that are not appropriate for the App Store. We encourage you to review your app content and evaluate whether you can modify the content to bring it into compliance with the Guidelines."

The HappyPlayTime site says the game will be "recoded" but Gong told GamesIndustry that she doesn't intend to change it. "I have a feeling that if I changed the way this game was designed, taking out the central core of it being an app where you can literally play with the character, invest emotionally in her well-being, it would get through. They mentioned that the 'concept' was objectionable. My feeling is that they don't mean female masturbation, but just this gaming aspect," she said.

"My guess is that Apple might have understood the purpose of it being educational, and that it was built with a mission, but wants to force me to strip out all the things that make this game what it is," she added. "And I can't accept that."

Gong said she's trying to make direct contact with the App Store decision-makers in order to plead her case, and while the touch-screen design means that a PC release isn't likely, she also holds out hope for an Android release.

Sources: GamesIndustry International [http://happyplaytime.com/]


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El Luck

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The Apple Store: where having a game that has some sort of message is bad, but having a million and one clone games is good.

Eh. Whatever I may think of the app (think its kinda dumb but I know its not aimed at me so whatever). Any shot I can take at calling Apples Appstore curation stupid, I'll take.
 

Peregrin130

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"a smiling, interactive vulva named Happy."

... what ?

OK, no, I'd love to see this... app go live really. Educational purpose, see ?

But... what ?
 

UberPubert

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""My guess is that Apple might have understood the purpose of it being educational, and that it was built with a mission, but wants to force me to strip out all the things that make this game what it is," she added. "And I can't accept that.""

Really? You couldn't think of any other way to teach girls about female masturbation than to literally have them play with a bouncing, smiling, digital personification of their own genitals?

I get it, sex ed isn't always up to the task of letting young people feel comfortable with their sexuality, but I don't think I'd feel any more comfortable about letting a game like this teach kids than just telling them myself.
 

Eric the Orange

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That cartoon mascot is creeping me out because it looks like a person with a gaping stomach wound. Like those one enemies from Binding of Issac.
 

vid87

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I'm saying this not in a perverted sense but in general:

Finding out this thing exists has made my day.
 

JayRPG

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I will take the time to remind everyone that Apple is a company that bans any sexually explicit material from apps in their app store, presumably because they think kids will have access to it, but they have absolutely no qualms allowing thousands of real money gambling and betting apps on their store... which can be accessed by the same kids.

I guess their priorities are warped when the kids in question have a chance of mistakenly giving Apple some dosh.

At least Google sticks to their guns, if you are going to ban one thing on the basis of restricted age groups then ban them all - Though I have a sneaking suspicion that Google would allow this app no problem, as it doesn't break their guidelines and google don't usually make up new ones just to restrict an app.
 

UberPubert

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Eric the Orange said:
That cartoon mascot is creeping me out because it looks like a person with a gaping stomach wound. Like those one enemies from Binding of Issac.
That was actually one of the first things I noticed too, even with the knowledge of what it was supposed to be.
 

Andy Chalk

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Just a brief reminder that Rack Stare, the "adults only!" game about leering at hot, luscious tits without getting caught by the life support systems they're attached to, remains available for purchase in the App Store.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/rack-stare/id385786751?mt=8 [https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/rack-stare/id385786751?mt=8]

 

thiosk

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This does not bode well for my first game development project for the iOS: Fappy Bird

Muppets explain the male sex drive in a way involving furious interaction with the device and LOTS AND LOTS OF PIPES
 

Miles Maldonado

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Andy Chalk said:
Just a brief reminder that Rack Stare, the "adults only!" game about leering at hot, luscious tits without getting caught by the life support systems they're attached to, remains available for purchase in the App Store.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/rack-stare/id385786751?mt=8 [https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/rack-stare/id385786751?mt=8]
What the actual redstars. Why does this exist. Why do people PAY for this sort of content.

Additionally I would say that from what I remember from Sex Ed (in Oregon, mind though it's been like over five or so years since I had this class), they were actually trying to STIFLE any sexuality our 15-16 year old selves might have had by spending about a day going over how to have safe sex, then two months going over STDs, STIs and unplanned pregnancy complete with basically "IF YOU HAVE SEX WITHOUT A CONDOM YOU WILL GET AIDS HERPES HIV AND THEN DIE (Addendum for girls: AFTER YOU GIVE BIRTH TO AN AIDS-RIDDEN BABY)".

So power to the people who made this, I hope that they can find somewhere it can be put out because in the 21st century you have to come to terms with the fact that women need to tend to themselves to.
 

CriticalMiss

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If it had manipulative microtransactions that Apple were getting a cut of then it'd probably be accepted in a heartbeat. Maybe she could change it to a match-3 game called Clit Crush Saga?
 

Schadrach

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Andy Chalk said:
Just a brief reminder that Rack Stare, the "adults only!" game about leering at hot, luscious tits without getting caught by the life support systems they're attached to, remains available for purchase in the App Store.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/rack-stare/id385786751?mt=8 [https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/rack-stare/id385786751?mt=8]
Apple's never been consistent in how they do things, though. For example Lulu (an app for rating men without them being able to know what you said about them or even that they've been rated -- essentially an app for women to say nasty things about their ex's) hung around for a long time, while s similar app but with the genders flipped didn't make it a week before Apple killed it.
 

seris

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This is the weirdest idea for a game ive ever seen. What if a kid saw this?
 

Samsont

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CriticalMiss said:
If it had manipulative microtransactions that Apple were getting a cut of then it'd probably be accepted in a heartbeat. Maybe she could change it to a match-3 game called Clit Crush Saga?
How about "African Tribal Coming of Age Simulator"? That has pretty much the same meaning.
 

Hagi

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I would have been somewhat disappointed and annoyed if this wasn't Apple.

But it is Apple and I've long since learned that Apple doesn't give a shit about anyone but Apple.

I can only say that there's a slight lingering sadness that I rate what was, perhaps, once a passionate company below the likes of Microsoft and, hell, even EA now.
 

CriticalMiss

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Samsont said:
CriticalMiss said:
If it had manipulative microtransactions that Apple were getting a cut of then it'd probably be accepted in a heartbeat. Maybe she could change it to a match-3 game called Clit Crush Saga?
How about "African Tribal Coming of Age Simulator"? That has pretty much the same meaning.
Hmm, good point. How about Vulva Victory Odyssey?
 

shirkbot

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Apple, you disappoint me, but I've gotten used to it, and we're going to proceed as always: With me ignoring you in favor of anything else that does the exact same thing for less money. At least the Apple App Store isn't the end of the line. I wish the creator much success with an Android release, or whatever other platform they so choose.

One last question: Is there actually a stigma attached to female masturbation? I'm genuinely not aware of one, but I usually don't ask and kind of eschew gender and sexuality in general.