Apple rejects Cecil the Lion app where you shoot the poachers

By

Apple's rejection of the app is bound to stir up old debates about policing the App Store.
It was inevitable that this would happen wasn't it?
Photo: Cecil's Revenge

Apple’s App Store policing is being called into question again after the company rejected a Cecil the Lion-inspired game in which animals turn guns on poachers.

Cecil’s Revenge features a safari truck of cheerful-looking wildlife firing at various caricatures of hunters, ranging from old-timey colonialists with rifles to cartoon Africans with guns.

According to the rejection message received by the developers of the Cecil the Lion game, Apple says it bans apps in which the enemies are “a specific race, culture, a real government or corporation, or any other real entity.”

While that’s fair enough, Apple then somewhat oddly notes that, “Specifically, your app targets poachers. We encourage you to review your app concept and revise it to avoid targeting any groups or individuals.”

This unfortunate bit of wording has been seized on by the creators of Cecil’s Revenge.Cecil’s Revenge does not target one race or group. It targets anyone who is illegally killing animals,” they say in a statement. Elsewhere they note that, “I thought the game would inspire Apple to help us with our cause, instead they shot Cecil down, again.”

Profits from the Asteroids-inspired game would reportedly help fund technology, such as drones and satellites, which have a part to play in stopping illegal poaching.

I have plenty of sympathy for Apple in cases like this. While I have total disdain for anyone who would shoot a lion, there’s also little doubt that the aftermath of the story — which involved doxxing the American shooter in question — was pretty unsettling.

Apple’s conservative (with a small “c”) policing of the App Store is bound to cause problems (like when, for instance, Cupertino banned World War II games because they featured German soldiers as enemies). But the company also doesn’t deserve the “Apple bans app because it is mean to poachers” headlines it is sure to get if this story catches fire.

Incidentally, the app is available from the Google Play Store.

Source: Cecil’s Revenge

Via: TMZ

Newsletters

Daily round-ups or a weekly refresher, straight from Cult of Mac to your inbox.

  • The Weekender

    The week's best Apple news, reviews and how-tos from Cult of Mac, every Saturday morning. Our readers say: "Thank you guys for always posting cool stuff" -- Vaughn Nevins. "Very informative" -- Kenly Xavier.