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[Carlos224]

I have been working on releasing my Android game on iOS. When I tried to submit it today I get the error saying that a game with that title already exists. I was quite shocked - eventually I found the other game for Iphone (my initial Ipad search didn't show Iphone titles).
I'm not sure what to do now. I like my games name and already have assets, banners and listings on websites with it.
I imagine my options are change my game name (redoing my website and all my web listings too), append something like Game Name iOS, Game Name: Enhanced Edition, Game Name: Assault

What would you do in this situation?

[rj]

is your game name literally Game Name? otherwise why are you so averse to telling us the Game Name


in either case...that's a tricky thing to tackle. aside from just coming up with an even better Game Name, your options are literally only to

-just release Game Name with the Game Name it has; if the other game with Game Name's game name is a very different game than the game it shares a name with, you might be in the clear
-give your Game Name the dreaded subtitle, or a third word, or add "the" in front of it. whatever.

contact the dev behind the game that Game Name has the same name as. they might be okay with you just releasing with the same name. if so, just go ahead. otherwise, bite the unfortunate bullet. it's pretty clear you can't do a Brand New Name from what you've said, so good luck!

[Christian Knudsen]

I'm not all that familiar with the iOS store, but I get from the OP that you can't submit a game with the same name as a game already in the store, so your option A might not be possible.

[Xaron]

I'm not all that familiar with the iOS store, but I get from the OP that you can't submit a game with the same name as a game already in the store, so your option A might not be possible.

That is true. The name itself is indeed unique in the iOS store. But nothing prevents you from just adding a word like "Pro" or something better to your game name.

[knifeySpoonie]

I'm not all that familiar with the iOS store, but I get from the OP that you can't submit a game with the same name as a game already in the store, so your option A might not be possible.

That is true. The name itself is indeed unique in the iOS store. But nothing prevents you from just adding a word like "Pro" or something better to your game name.

What??? Pro Candy Crush Saga....

Yes lots and lots Stop you from copying a name and just adding an adjective to it.. it's called copyright law, and trademark law, and you will get sued or asked to stop (cease and desist) fairly quickly if you copy any of the bigger games.. and some of the smaller games

Change the name... It may be a ball ache but you don't want to risk somthing when you already know about it. It's pretty standard in situations that the first people to do somthing will win most cases. It's not worth the risk. Also is this other game any good or do you want your game tarnished by it's presense when people search for your game.

[Xaron]

What??? Pro Candy Crush Saga....

Yes lots and lots Stop you from copying a name and just adding an adjective to it.. it's called copyright law, and trademark law, and you will get sued or asked to stop (cease and desist) fairly quickly if you copy any of the bigger games.. and some of the smaller games

Change the name... It may be a ball ache but you don't want to risk somthing when you already know about it. It's pretty standard in situations that the first people to do somthing will win most cases. It's not worth the risk. Also is this other game any good or do you want your game tarnished by it's presense when people search for your game.

Well that's not what I meant. Of course he should NOT name it like a trademarked one. More often than not simple names are just taken. So if your game for instance has the name "Dice" you could just alter it a bit. That's what I meant. When the name is already taken that doesn't mean you may not use the same one.

[knifeySpoonie]

What??? Pro Candy Crush Saga....

Yes lots and lots Stop you from copying a name and just adding an adjective to it.. it's called copyright law, and trademark law, and you will get sued or asked to stop (cease and desist) fairly quickly if you copy any of the bigger games.. and some of the smaller games

Change the name... It may be a ball ache but you don't want to risk somthing when you already know about it. It's pretty standard in situations that the first people to do somthing will win most cases. It's not worth the risk. Also is this other game any good or do you want your game tarnished by it's presense when people search for your game.

Well that's not what I meant. Of course he should NOT name it like a trademarked one. More often than not simple names are just taken. So if your game for instance has the name "Dice" you could just alter it a bit. That's what I meant. When the name is already taken that doesn't mean you may not use the same one.

Well better to be clear on this.. Even if somthings not trademarked they can still get you for copyright infringement, Which is granted to people upon creation of their work.. So even when changing the name it's always better to be cautious...

Some words are also considered common, it's like you can't trademark puzzle as a single word, but you might be able to trademark somthing with puzzle in the title..

Either way, If your already in doubt, or your name game is so close to another game (even a tiny little game no-one has heard of) then just play it safe and change the name...

[Carlos224]

The other app in question is a throw away flipped app. I know they don't have a trademark on the name. I did check my games name before I started, and I'll be getting the name trademarked at some point.

Even if somthings not trademarked they can still get you for copyright infringement,

Copyright protects your art. It doesn't protect the game mechanics - nor the name. That said my game is not the same and I haven't stolen anyone's art. It's all work done by myself.

At the moment I'm going with adding "iOs" on the end seems the simplest solution.

[knifeySpoonie]

Can we ask what the name is? you seem really secretive about it... surely people can give better advice once we know what we're dealing with?

Plus you might to check if you can even add iOS to a game name thats submitted to the appstore..