About a week ago, I tried to download one of their games but for some reason, every single game/app they ever released is completely missing from the Google Play Store. I can’t even download them through my library. I tried sending them an email but they never responded. Both their social media and their website seem to be abandoned and mention nothing about their sudden disappearance. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a developer just completely disappear like that, does anyone know what happened to them?

Also, because it’s relevant to a recent movement* and I feel like mentioning it, the game I was trying to download was Lophis Roguelike:Card RPG game. I bought this game a few years ago but it didn’t work on my tablet, so I added it to my backlog of android games, thinking that I could eventually try it on a different device. Seeing that this game is no longer officially available, this is a game that I payed for but never got to actually play.

*The movement I’m referring to is stopkillinggames.

  • originalucifer@moist.catsweat.com
    18·
    6 months ago

    sometimes investment firms will buy an entire portfolio of businesses… the titles that arent really profitable are then ‘set it, and forget it’. the popeil two-step. kinda smells like that here.

    pure conjecture

    • vortexal@sopuli.xyzOPEnglish
      7·
      6 months ago

      But the thing is that, even with apps that haven’t updated in years, I can usually download them from my library. But in the case of DreamSky, every app they ever released is completely missing from my library, they’re even missing from my purchasing history.

        • vortexal@sopuli.xyzOPEnglish
          41·
          6 months ago

          I forgot to mention it in my previous comment but because I don’t own the crew, the only option available for me in my country, is to spread it on social media. I’m also going to add that link to my post because I just realized that I probably should.

  • astanix@lemmy.worldEnglish
    10·
    6 months ago

    As someone that lost a developer account due to not uploading anything for a year I can confirm the app I uploaded a couple years ago is no longer in my history.

    Google closes your account for not updating or uploading apps.

    • vortexal@sopuli.xyzOPEnglish
      3·
      6 months ago

      Also, something else that is interesting, there was a developer named DeNA Corp. They were the developers for Final Fantasy Record Keeper*. Despite the fact that the game has been EOL for about 1 and a half years now and the Developer’s account seems to have been deleted, I can still download the game. I don’t think it works anymore but it’s something interesting I thought I’d bring up.

      *The link works for me when I’m logged in but it doesn’t work when I’m not logged in, so it might not work for you if you’ve never downloaded that game before.

    • vortexal@sopuli.xyzOPEnglish
      2·
      6 months ago

      I’m not sure why your comment is just now showing up in my inbox but I’ve looked into it and there are developers who haven’t updated or released any apps in the last 5 years and I can still see and download their apps. An example I can give is mkrupczak3, who has only released one app and it hasn’t been updated in almost 5 years.

  • Diabolo96@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
    7·
    6 months ago

    Last update 2020. I think the playstore delete games that don’t get any updates for some time. Just get the apk from an alternative store if you know what I mean.

    • vortexal@sopuli.xyzOPEnglish
      9·
      6 months ago

      I know I can do that, but that’s not the problem here. I’ve seen developers remove old games before but I’ve never seen an entire developer completely disappear.

      Also, I’ve had no problem in the past with downloading old apps from the Google Play Store. For example, about a month ago, I downloaded a game that was last updated in 2016. The Google Play Store usually allows you to download old apps from your library, but as I stated in my post, their apps are completely missing from my library.

      • Diabolo96@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
        2·
        6 months ago

        Maybe they closed down and had to remove everything due to copyright problems/sales weren’t worth having to do costumer services or something like that.

        I bet it’s not that uncommon either. Just yesterday, I remembered a game I saw years ago called ‘green project’ that was in early access at the time and wanted to check it out. so I went to look for it but it was gone despite the game still being sold on steam and being on version 1.4.2, but the last update was on 2022.