Apple has kicked out Weed Firm, a game that follows the adventures of Ted Growing, a marijuana dealer who aims to build his own weed empire, after the game has enjoyed its 15 minutes of fame on the Apple App Store.
It's possible that Apple has allowed weed-related apps on the App Store as long as they don't get too much attention, since dozens of other apps such as Weedmaps, Weed Tycoon and Weed Farmer are still available on the App Store. However, following Weed Firm's rise to the top of the charts on the App Store Monday, Apple has chucked out the app without warning.
As usual, Apple did not respond to requests for explanation, but Weed Firm believes Apple just couldn't accept the app's popularity.
"This was Apple's decision, not ours," says Weed Firm in a statement posted on its publisher Manitoba Games' website. "We guess the problem was that the game was just too good and got to number one in All Categories, since there are certainly a great number of weed-based apps still available, as well as games promoting other so-called 'illegal activities' such as shooting people, crashing cars and throwing birds at buildings."
The more likely explanation, however, is that Weed Firm's rapid rise to the top forced Apple to take a second look at the app and reevaluate its initial approval. Section 16.1 of Apple's App Store Review Guidelines states that, "Apps that present excessively objectionable or crude content will be rejected."
Although Weed Firm has a disclaimer that says it does not support illegal activities, you're still growing weed, selling it to customers and bribing cops. The game features a variety of characters the likes of "crooked cops" and "horny dancer Jane," who promises to give you a lap dance if you can cough up the right amount of cash. Manitoba describes Weed Firm as "the story of an expelled botany sophomore Ted Growing as he inherits a growing operation and expands it."
As for the rising number of minors gaining access to the App Store, Weed Firm has displayed a high maturity rating and thinks it shouldn't be their problem if children download the app and learn their virtual way through the world of drug dealing.
"We do not want kids playing Weed Firm, but we firmly believe that adults should have a choice to do whatever the hell they want as long as they are not hurting anybody in the process," Manitoba says.
Meanwhile, Android users also won't be able to have their fix, but withdrawal won't likely last for long as Weed Firm says, "Google never had a problem with the application itself. The problem was with our publisher and we are expecting to return to the Play Store once we find a suitable publisher."
