A popular iPhone app game has been re-launched 18 months after it was created, back due to popular demand from past fans and users. The app, which combines elements of the smash hit apps Draw Something and Snapchat, enables users to send photo-based challenges to friends.
Due to huge demand for its comeback, a new version of the popular iPhone game Appysnap has been re-launched, 18 months after its initial introduction. Available for free in the iTunes App Store, Appysnap allows players to send challenges to friends, which can be completed by taking photos of specific items, places or situations.
www.appysnap.com is only available to iPhone users, but can be played anywhere. Players are sent missions through the app which require them to take photos of specific items, places or themes before time runs out and they can also create their own photo challenges for friends to complete. Once the challenge is completed within the time limit, players receive points, prizes and other incentives. Prizes for the best snaps taken are up for grabs every month and players also collect in-app badges on completion of certain challenges.
Users of Appysnap can easily view any snaps they've taken in a single screen view, essentially building up their own in-app photo archive of all the images they've taken to complete challenges. Although completely free to download, in-app purchases are available, such as mission packs and challenge 'scrubs' if players want to skip particular challenges. However, users of the app can progress without having to pay for anything.
Appysnap was first launched in 2011 with little funding, before the decision was made to close the app down eight months later in 2012. At its peak, Appysnap saw over 100,000 photos submitted by users every month.
When the app was shut down, fans bombarded Facebook and Twitter with pleas to resurrect Appysnap and when the founders refused several offers from developers, advertising agencies and a national radio station to sell, several investors stepped forward to discuss the possibility of resurrecting the game.
Co-founders of the app, Paul Smith and Jon Nairn raised investment from Paul Nikkel, founder of Quidco, with the founder of Playlists.net Kieron Donoghue joining the team as an advisor. Appysnap also offers strong commercial promotion opportunities, with the ability for popular brands to send challenges to players, including getting them to visit or photograph a store or branch, and sponsor missions.
Paul Smith, co-founder of Appysnap, said the following about the re-launch:
"The original app was bootstrapped from day one, but we reached a point where we couldn't afford to build and support new features. We started to lose traction, so rather than risk sliding into obscurity, we decided to shut the app and go out on a high."
"Everyone feels there's a big opportunity for a photo-based mobile game and that nobody's managed to crack it yet. One of the things we noticed last time around was that it was relatively easy to drive users to physical locations.
“Case in point - in a previous challenge we asked people to take a photo of a coffee shop. Around 80% of the photos were of Starbucks locations across the globe. We quickly realised that there is real value in getting our users to visit a retailer, so we'll be focussing more on this type of promotion going forward and working out commercial models for retailers to use Appysnap to drive footfall. Snapchat has proved how people like the fun and disposable element of photos. Appysnap is in a very similar space, providing a way to connect and have fun with others."
Appysnap can be downloaded from the App Store here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/appysnap!/id611919233?ls=1&mt=8
Screenshots of Appysnap can be downloaded from Dropbox here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/wki42zn546ku64f/m1jWh1_ePM
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