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A couple of weeks back at E3, Bethesda announced its new little mobile game, Fallout Shelter, whilst also showing off tons of new Fallout 4 footage. While Fallout Shelter is a neat little mobile time killer and has been received very well, it is currently limited to iOS users, leaving the Android crowd out.
Fortunately, Bethesda is working on that and now we have a general timetable for when to expect Fallout Shelter to hit Android. According to Bethesda's Pete Hines, the Android version of Fallout Shelter is “coming along nice” and while a date hasn't been officially announced, “it should be out next month”.
So later on in August, Android users may finally be able to play the Fallout Shelter app, ahead of Fallout 4's launch in November. The game has gone on to be one of the highest grossing apps in the iOS store in just a matter of weeks, even though the game isn't really built around making money. This is similar to how android real money casino sites android casino apps works as mentioned from here.
It will be interesting to see if the app can hit the same level of success once Android users can finally get their hands on it.
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KitGuru Says: I've sunk some time in to perfecting my own vault in Fallout Shelter since it launched. Its a fun little time waster if you just want something you can check in on every once in a while, although Android users aren't missing out on much. Have any of you tried Fallout Shelter? Are you waiting for it to hit Android?
Should’ve been ready on release. There are way, way more Android phones out there capable of playing this game than there are iOS phones in total. Android is the bigger market.
probably has something to do with internal dealings between apple & bethesda
from what I’ve heard from iOS developer who also develop on Androids, thanks to many verity of Android devices, it’s easier to test and create on iOS. perhaps that might be why. As from the conference, it really sounded more like a ‘fun project’ for them.
Not that I have any ground to really argue with a proper developer but this has never made sense to me. It’s literally the same as saying that it’s easier to make games for OS X rather than windows because there are many different Windows versions and hardware running the operating system. Whether it is easier or not, I don’t know but its clear which one should be the target market if not both. I agree with others saying that there was some internal deals going on behind this game.
well they’ve got their priorities, I have mine and tbh this not being released on android with the announcement made me reconsider buying the game, maybe I’ll just play on a friends account, rent it , till its on sale or basically given away. I mean my money is the way I show my priority, and face it there are other means to play it making sure they don’t see a dime till I decide to pay.
That is true, but iOS is easier to develop for, and its users are more willing to spend money on in-app purchases, making the iOS version more profitable. That’s why iOS is still developers’ priority.
I was saying this a lot when it came out, specifically to my fellow Android users, but the game was developed in Unity, so there isn’t any significant reason — at least that I’m aware of — why they *couldn’t* have released the Android version after it was announced.
Either way, I think the iOS users being more willing to spend money on IAPs is probably a strong enough argument to give it a grace period.
As was mentioned, it was developed in Unity, so it’s a simple case of exporting a binary for each platform. I would like to see this IAP thing quantified, though.
This is exactly what i was going to say in so many words. The problem is all the different companies making devices for one platform, the specs vary incredibly wildly. ios is defintely easier to develop for and to keep a larger audience happy, that is to say, with all the bugs from some people using outdated or variations of the same hardware.
there might have been internal dealings idk. Considering given information this seems like low priority project, unlike windows and pc platforms mobile need more fine tuneing, and its def easier on ios. Lastly.. even that didnt seem to help too much considering all the crashes people post on it.
Your going to rent an app? Didn’t know that was possible.
Apple users are actually preferable consumers.
I worked in wireless for 3 years and the only correlation I can draw to describe the difference between apple followers and android aficianados has now been stated.
So naturally they would spend more.
Actually, Im sure you know that at E3 almost everything you see is not ready, and even the stuff that is said to be ready gets delayed 6 months to a year later. Bethesda said they were working with apple really closely on this one which makes me think its more of a two month timed exclusive type deal that the time is about to expire.
“Reconsider buying the game” not the free App.
1) sarcasm.
2) I just fail to see how an appthat isn’t integral to the game isinfluencing whether or not you buy a full retail game.
Sorry I missed the sarcasm, mistook it for stupidity, its the internet and I tend to expect the least so I apologize.
I just think it was very unprofessional to release on the apple smartphone platform, I didn’t hear it made clear in the presentation it was for Iphone only at the time, was excited, pre-ordered the game for the pipboy edition, and felt severely let down when the information was updated to state it would be months before an Android solution would be possible… End result I cancelled the pre-order and let my money speak for me.
Ehy? For me its attitude of the company, its like developing for a console and porting it to a PC, and expecting PC Gamers to pay the same price as a game where a developer has spent their entire time creating the best game possible, then later downgrading to console graphics and controls.
basically its just another way of enjoying the freedom of expression through monetary means. Will it affect Bethesda in the long run if I buy the game for $70 or for $5 later on? Probably not, but I know I’ll feel better about my purchase 😉
You know iOS is the priority platform cause easier to devolope for right? Plus the point is this article was to tell us android will have it shortly. And giving up the pipboy edition because of this app is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. I’d kill for that thing.
Priority because its easier, that logic doesn’t fit, thats like saying lets use visual basic instead of C++ for game engine programming because its easier, hell Dos is easier to program for, yet you don’t see many game companies releasing apps for it….that logic aside I get your point, but seeing as how the pipboy edition doesn’t fit Galaxy S6, better to let some other fanboy get it that will appreciate it. 😉
Yer fuckin’ unprofessional m8.
@johnathanjingleyjones:disqus Worst fallacy in logical argument ever…
” Ad hominem attacks are usually made out of desperation when one cannot find a decent counter argument.”
Here read this you might learn something today.
http://www.logicallyfallacious.com/index.php/logical-fallacies/10-ad-hominem-abusive
Best-time working I looked at the draft which said $9958@mk2
v.
http://www.TheWorldStarHipHopJobs/tap/tab….
It probably was available for android on release but apple gave them incentive to make it an apple exclusive on release.
You’re what’s wrong with the gaming industry. You think you’re entitled, when you’re just a consumer. You want to play Fallout 4 without paying for it, or without paying full price, all because they didn’t release a mobile app on Android at the same time as iOS as if that entitles you to something, or if you’re just outraged as a consumer. I can’t wait for used games to die, and rest assured, they most certainly will.
“Unprofessional”? It’s Bethesda. They’re a wildly successful business. Get off your high equestrian. They can do whatever the hell they want because they’re creating these things and risking and dealing with major development hurdles every single day while you sit on your ass judging and saying they aren’t doing a good enough job. Are you really this delusional or are you one of the Internet’s countless stupid people?
Nope ios is vastly better and easier for developers ios doesnt need much hardware specs and it runs smoother then android because its all about the os and optimization why do u think ios always gets games way ahead of them and apple always has the exclusives like clash of clans before until android users started to cry and wine about it an then get a petition on bringing it to android, android has so many bugs its problematic for developers an the os is poorly designed thats why it takes forever to develop apps and games for it an when u say android has a bigger market lmfao apple revenue is worth way more then android android is the lower class device for common ppl that cant afford an apple product, so keep dreaming bud look at statistics before you say silly things 🙂
As an app developer I can safely say you’re full of shit. It’s just as easy to code for Android as it is iOS.
Android users have every right to ask for games (no, not whine) on their platform.
Oh and I absolutely could afford Apple devices, I just choose not to, because I dislike the ecosystem.
What a prick.
Well, I’m stoked for it. I fully support Bethesda’s decision to release the game on a platform I own.
So I should my fork out full price for a game and its developer I don’t support fully… I’m afraid your the one who’s delusional my friend, if you think people are doing that in the first place, whether it be games, electronics, furniture, appliances or anything you purchase. If you just go out and buy things without doing your homework on prices, support, quality, etc. your one of the Internets countless stupid people, its fanboys like you who don’t hold companies accountable for their actions that is “what’s wrong with the gaming industry” Tell ya what fanboy, when you’ve been paid to critique companies like these then come talk to me, so ya I’ll sit on my ass and judge, because I’ve gotten paid for it, and still have offers to do so. Have you ever written code for any games? any mod code or model rendering? I doubt it, yet you come talking like you know it all, but its obvious you don’t even know the common business model…
See my reply below Fanboy.
They did state at the E3 they started making the game when iphone was at its highest as lots of people where using them.
wouldn’t matter if it were developed originally for IOS or Android, pretty much all game dev tools work hand in hand with cordova, phonegap and Intel XDK which could have output it instantly onto whichever platform they wanted at the click of a few buttons.. this delay for this long is excessive, deliberate and pathetic.
There is no excuse valid to get by anyone who has developed for mobile platforms before and their lies make me sick.
To extend onto this comment I’ll add that Apple charges $99 just to try get an app onto their store vs android who charge.. NOTHING!!
Android is a more popular operating system as per the most recent statistics and when you consider that the new Windows 10 OS will support running Android APK’s.. I think it’s safe to say IOS is going to become something the ignorant purchase.
akall_luy is a classic IOS consumer though .. I can see why Apple get away with slapping price tags on products that Android get for free.
profitability as a figure vs popularity as a device are 2 different things.
The app was promoted as being Free to Play so popularity should be the variable we look towards primarily…
Also, once Android starts shipping on sub-par devices for higher price tags than competing device platforms.. I think any consumers still purchasing those devices will make a great target consumer who is willing to spend on unnecessary and overpriced purchases.
The fact people purchase the IOS device, puts them into a demographic as “ideal consumers” who pull the trigger on things that perform sub par on a
$ Performance ratio compared to alternatives. These people are willing to buy without performing extensive research and are content with the use of a device based on branding and marketing efforts exclusively.
This is often a pre-cursor to having a disposable income which is another ideal trait to find in consumers.
It’s no surprise that they currently have a higher profit margin as a percentage value per user of that OS type and why commercial products would initially target the IOS market preferentially..however we are talking about a Free to Play app which doesn’t fall into that same classification.
Well it shouldn’t be a strong argument to give any grace period because doing that would imply that Android users are not spending a significant slice on IAPs as well.
Not releasing for both Operating Systems is just cutting your profits down with no obvious benefits unless some under-the-table deal went through because as you identify, Unity can export out for both platforms at the click of a button.
Here is something to consider… Fallout 4 is being released as a NON-Multiplayer experience… let that sink in..
You don’t need to be online to play it.. so how hard do you really think it will be for this to emerge from some location on the internet “free”?
When you deliberately mess with a market and lie to them you are not behaving in a manner that says, “I’m treating you with respect so I deserve to have products released treated with respect”.
My opinion of Bethesda from the “stunt” of delaying the Android release and making it seem like it takes extra effort to accomplish this task.. plus releasing a modern game with absolutely no multiplayer support makes the entire company seem dated and ill-equipped for modern business standards.
Fallout 4 will still get a ton of sales and they’ll make a ton of cash from Fallout Shelter IAPs no doubt.. but imagine how much MORE they would have made if the game (Fallout 4) were online and if they hit both IOS and Android at the same time for Shelter.
The only people to blame are the same people releasing this content and deliberately promoting misinformation.
By the way as a consumer.. we get the privilege of choosing what we buy and don’t buy.. we get the freedom of expressing these needs by selective purchasing. A content producer’s goal is to target a specific market of consumers and address our needs.
To think that this business model should be inverted is illogical.
Unfortunately it seems that most of the people replying have little clue to what is involved in app development.
Most are unlikely to have any level of degree in business management since the concept of catering products to suit consumers is being overlooked.
The only logical reason for an IOS exclusive early release was that IOS owners make for better consumers…and even then it ignores that Android users also make IAPs so cutting out that demographic is still short changing your company profits significantly.
By any standards this is a stupid business move.. good business make decisions that earn maximum profits from a product.
The only way this was a good business decision is if Apple did an under-the-table deal that offset the predicted losses Bethesda would make from a dual OS (IOS and Android) release at launch.
Smartest reply I’ve read in a while, you sir when the internet for the day!!
There’s an issue if the Chicken and Egg argument… if you don’t deliver on high quality apps at the same time, are people still willing to pay as much? I’m not so sure.
Yes, exactly… But that doesn’t make what I’ve said any less true.
I agree but the fact is as a consumer, I don’t want to hear excuses. What are the solutions?
Spot on again – as consumers, excuses don’t mean anything to us.
Honestly, the only argument I can possibly think of that forced the iOS as primary targets would be Android users having the ability to sideload modified APKs, but even then I don’t know enough about the IAP figures and stats to really back that up. Pure speculation.
The only *other* thing I can think of is that they came across some huge issue with the Android builds, but I’m a Unity dev and I’m not aware of a single gotcha that would take 3 months to be solved.
I genuinely can not understand why they made the decision without some incentive from Apple. The whole thing is just a very weird choice.
There is nothing to “work” on… game is in Unity… could “port” it in 5 minutes…
Only basic web content sort of apps should be ‘ported’ through “cordova, phonegap and Intel XDK” – Porting a game like this isn’t quite so simple. (Yes, IAmAMobilePlatformDeveloper)
Thank god Bethesda aren’t trying to do that, but are taking the proper development time to get a proper android version out. (Also, they’re probably crunching their arses off to get it up in a 2 month window)
It’s a free game… just be happy they’re doing it at all?
….Nah, that’d be way to sensible, how about we bitch about how sick they’re making us with their ‘lies’ (still unsure what they’re lying about, but I doubt it matters)
This.
I get so sick of how every other ‘mobile gamer’ (just the odd ones, not the even ones) seems to think they know enough about development to criticise the professionals.
(Also, it’s arguably easier to develop for Android – I had to buy a macbook and an iphone just to develop for them, I can develop android on my macbook, pc or android box… I don’t even need an android device…. and, as Jax mentions below (above?), you have to pay fees to apple also to publish.)
They hit Apple first cause of a) Apple’s marketing itself as the biggest ecosystem; b) the public’s impression of both android and apple (consumers are used to apple getting things first); c) possibly an exclusivity deal of some sort with apple; d) Their first mobile game – far easier to do it as a proof of concept on a single platform and see how it does before learning/porting/investing in other systems – and apple’s ecosystem being what it is allows them to stand out more.
In any event, it turned out to be a very popular game, and they’re spitting out an android one just a couple of months later – sounds pretty standard to me, I honestly have no idea what the drama is.
also…
As for overlooking a fluid interface that is resolution agnostic – I suspect they’re aware of it, as their pc games deal with the exact same issues, and they’re pretty obvious ones, however supporting that would have taken them probably a couple of months longer to complete, so…. do it without for apple where it’s not needed, release, update and release the flexible version. Also allows so many platform-agnostic potential glitches, playability issues, and all that stuff get tested by the apple users…
My best guess is they don’t have a flexible display structure, and it’s hardcoded layouts for each apple device it supports, but for an android (and future releases) they’re doing the work to make it fully flexible (And – this should be a given after releasing it publicly on iOS – they now have user data/bug reports/etc to address that they would be foolish to ignore in order to rush an android release)
Yeah, I’ve also decided not to purchase any games from companies that release bonus free apps that I cannot immediately get on my current mobile platform. What is the world coming to when things like that can happen? The humanity!
Strictly speaking, one could argue that a professional is someone who gets paid for their work, and they’re putting this app out for free (iap aside) so someone could argue that they’re being unprofessional (but they’d be wrong) 😛
p.s. I’m no equestrian: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKPBvX4tk2c&ab_channel=TrappahBoots
Fixing all the bugs for ios and releasing it when ready, then fixing the bugs for android and releasing it when ready is dumber than not releasing the ios version when ready, putting it on the shelf till the android version is ready, then releasing both together?
I can’t source anywhere that clearly states they are “fixing bugs with the Android version”. No definitive reason has been provided for the delay between both IOS and Android released.. which is likely due to the fact that.. it’s just a self-imposed time-wall.
The only explanation provided is that the Android version is still in development. Yet the game uses no IOS exclusive hardware functionality and was produced in an engine that prides on being able to export out to multiple platforms at the click of a button.
Yup, you’ve not heard any specific technical reason, that is my point.
You’re claiming they have no technical issues because they haven’t mentioned any – I’m pointing out there could be (and, as a developer, I know that there inevitably will be) and that those people going on about how “They already did it/could do it in 5 minutes/whatever” is ridiculous.
As for them not mentioning any technical difficulties, well, Developers tend to think of technical difficulties as “work” and focus on doing that work, not writing comprehensive reports for press releases about the work they’re doing.
Sometimes a company will blog about every little thing, and that’s great, but usually even those kinds of expositions generally come after the product is finished, not during development.
(I know I’ve posted a bunch of stuff all over this thread, but I’m sick of project managers who act like the end user commenters on this thread, and think they know better than the professionals doing the work, so I’m taking it out on you guys, cause…. you can’t fire me for bitching)
The point you reinforce is part of what we have been discussing comprehensively : It is not a good business model to treat your consumers with contempt. IF they had legitimate reasons for delays, it would be a strong PR decision to briefly explore this the moment a delay was announced for the Android platform…that’s just smart business.
To not provide any reason at all.. not even a hint can only mean 1 of 2 things. A. Bethesda are making poor business decisions from a marketing standpoint.. or B. Under the table dealings went down between Apple and Bethesda.
Which do you honestly think is more likely considering how successful in business Bethesda have been as a company? Offsets for predicted IAP losses as a consequence of not releasing for both platforms simultaneously had to come from somewhere to make it worth their while.
If you conduct your own development projects using this same approach of keeping consumers in the dark until you have positive news to provide, or the project is already complete.. things won’t go well for long, we live in a society driven by social media and to keep the social media in the dark is never a good thing.
Again you are welcome to your own opinions and this is part of why discussion boards like this can become valuable learning environments as everyone is free to share their personal experiences and consider innovative or discouraged business practices amongst the other multitudes of things that come up in discussions along the way.
It’s worth noting that in this particular situation, my previous experiences in both observation of others and my own marketing strategies have seen a consistent series of results where consumers that are treated with contempt or left out of the “information loop” quickly look elsewhere as there is a certain level of expectation in the social media for timely updates and clear explanations regarding incidents and delays.
A recent example would be the SpaceX incident. Nothing needed to be disclosed to the general public regarding what went wrong but it makes good sense to do so as it shows that they are logically solving the problems to ensure they don’t happen again where possible, which turns an incident into a more positive outcome for the company than if they just remained silent until they finally got another rocket up into space successfully.
Slightly un-related analogy, yet I would maintain that the principle is still the same.
It’s true Apple is marketing as the biggest ecosystem but this was a Free 2 Play with optional IAPs. If this were a financial move they wouldn’t have wanted to cut a still significant slice which (last time I looked at a report that outlines the figures) was around 40-45%.
The public’s impression of Android can’t be too bad considering it has around a 70% market share. It’s most likely this involved an exclusivity deal with Apple but that wasn’t mentioned as things like that tend to be frowned upon by consumers who are left waiting unnecessarily.
Regarding the fluid interface, it makes little sense to push out a choppy game that still has bugs on the OS where you know per user they purchase more often than to utilize the much larger market over in the Android camp where the profit possibilities are slightly lower and the consumers are conditioned to dealing with unpolished content released as a result of there being such a low threshold to get apps into the play store.
Each decision they made is more likely based firmly in what would benefit them the most and if IOS lacks those raw benefits.. then there is a reasonable chance Bethesda have made up for it .. in some other way.
That holds the implication that there would be a legitimate reason for a 3 month delay. when dealing with a game constructed in an engine environment that specializes in “build once – release to multiple platforms”.
I just don’t buy into it, Bethesda are too experienced in the games industry to have gone into this one half prepared, doing no market research or considering a dual platform minimum release from the very beginning.
They have developed games for the PC which are designed to scale and mesh well with a huge number of unique custom hardware setups, display resolutions and even operating system versions but overlooked tweaking settings and structure in a mobile game to ensure it would have IOS and Android compatibility at launch??
Android holding the larger slice of market share in devices running it than IOS? It just doesn’t add up. There has to be a far more logical motivation for holding off 3 Months between OS releases, it would be surprising if this was not intentional.. not impossible of cause but seemingly unlikely.
Hiya all, I am so happy. I just found a leaked version for the Android app. I have been playing for a few hours now and it works great.
Hopefully it works on your device too, you can check it out here: http://tinyurl.com/falloutshelterandroidv259
So my mate is playig it on android RIGHT NOW an i couldent even find it in the google store however found it through the google search engine THEN I FIND OUT MY DEVICE IS NOT COMPATIBLE
AAAHHHHHHHHRGGGGGGGGGG what zee ÷%’^, been waiting so long now all me mates are playing it an it still wont work for me anyone got any ideas of whats going on