Why Minesbuddy Failed
Minesbuddy is a clean, logic-based puzzle game where players uncover safe tiles and diamonds using strategy and pattern recognition. It is designed as a fun, skill-focused experience with no gambling, betting, or real-money elements.
Causes of failure
Primary reasons cited by the founder
Post-Mortem
💡What was the idea?
Minesbuddy was a logic-based casual puzzle game inspired by classic minesweeper mechanics, reimagined as a clean, modern mobile game. The goal was to create a simple yet engaging experience that rewarded thinking and pattern recognition, without gambling, betting, or real-money mechanics. It was designed for casual players who enjoy short, brain-stimulating games they can play anytime.
What went wrong?
The project came to a halt due to legal and platform compliance issues. Our developer licenses were terminated, which immediately blocked distribution and updates. While the game itself was not intended to violate any policies, the termination meant we could no longer operate or iterate on the product. The realization came abruptly, not through user metrics, but through the loss of platform access, which effectively ended the project regardless of its technical state.
What would you do differently?
I would invest more time upfront in understanding platform policies, edge cases, and legal interpretations before launch. I would also separate experimental projects from critical accounts to reduce risk and ensure clearer documentation and communication with platform review teams. Earlier legal and compliance validation would be a priority.
Biggest lesson learned
“A product can be technically sound and well-intentioned, yet still fail due to external constraints. Platform dependency is a real risk. The biggest lesson was learning that compliance, legal clarity, and account-level safeguards are as important as product design and engineering. ”
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