Use App Store Connect to Add a New App

To offer in-app purchases within your game, you first need to set up an app in App Store Connect. Log in to your Apple Developer^[64] account, and you’ll see something like this:

On the left side (listed with the other Program Resources), click App Store Connect. Alternatively, you can log in to App Store Connect using its direct link.^[65] In either case, you’ll end up at the App Store Connect home page:

Before you can sell anything on the App Store, you must first accept the agreements,^[66] specifically the Paid Applications agreement. You also need to enter the tax and banking information for the account holder. Once you have signed the agreements, you can add users and assign roles.

Adding a Sandbox Tester Account

To test in-app purchases, you need at least one user account and one sandbox tester account.^[67] With sandbox tester accounts, you can test your in-app purchases without having to worry about live data and live payments.

Setting up users and sandbox tester accounts is not something this book covers; however, you can follow these steps as per Apple’s documentation to add tester accounts:

1. Sign in to App Store Connect.
2. On the home page, click Users and Access.
3. Under Sandbox, click Testers.
4. Click “+” to set up your tester accounts.
5. Complete the tester information form and click Invite.
6. Sign out of your Apple ID on all testing devices and sign back in with your new sandbox tester account.

For more information about adding and editing users, please refer to Apple’s online documentation.^[68]

Now that you have the user accounts set up, you’re ready to add a new app.

Adding a New App

From the App Store Connect home page, open the My Apps section. To add a new app, click the Add (+) button in the top-left corner and select New App, like so:

When the New App dialog appears, enter or select the following options:

• Platform: iOS
• Name: Gloop Drop
• Primary Language: English
• Bundle ID: {your bundle id}
• SKU: GLOOPDROP
• User Access: Full Access

Be sure to replace {your bundle id} with your Bundle ID. You may also need to change the Name and SKU values if you get an error about them already being in use. When you’re done, you’ll end up with something like this:

Click the Create button to create your new app. For more information about adding apps, please refer to Apple’s online documentation.^[69]

If everything works, you’ll see the App Information page, which looks something like this:

You’re ready to add some products.

Adding In-App Purchases

With the App Information page open, switch to the Features tab and you’ll see the In-App Purchases page, which looks something like this:

The In-App Purchases page is where you can set up your game’s in-app purchases. For the gloopdrop project, you’ll set up two in-app purchases: one that removes ads, and one that allows players to continue their game.

Click the Add (+) button to add a new in-app purchase and you will see the following:

Here, you need to define the type of in-app purchase you’re about to set up. You can choose from four types:

• Consumable: A product that is used once, after which it becomes depleted and the player must purchase it again.

• Non-Consumable: A product that is purchased once and does not expire or decrease with use.

• Auto-Renewable Subscription: A product that allows users to purchase dynamic content for a set period. This type of subscription renews automatically unless canceled by the user.

• Non-Renewing Subscription: A product that allows users to purchase a service with a limited duration. The content of this in-app purchase can be static. This type of subscription does not renew automatically.

Add a Non-Consumable

The first type you’ll set up in this chapter is a non-consumable product. In other words, players buy it once and it’s available—in theory—forever.

Select the Non-Consumable option and click the Create button. This action takes you to the Product page, as shown in the image.

At a minimum, you need to enter the Reference Name, Product ID, Price, and a localized Display Name and Description. However, before you can release a product on the App Store, you must also supply the rest of the metadata. You won’t be supplying that data in this book, but know that it’s something you’ll need to think about when you’re ready to create your own products. Apple has an excellent article^[70] about promoting your in-app purchases and creating effective metadata.

For now, enter the following information for this new product:

• Reference Name: Remove Ads
• Product ID: {your bundle id}.removeads
• Price: USD 1.99
• Display Name: Remove Ads
• Description: Full version of the game with no ads

Don’t forget to replace {your bundle id} with your Bundle ID, for example, net.justwritecode.gloopdrop, which gives you a Product ID of net.justwritecode.gloopdrop.removeads.

Examples aside, when you’re ready to create your own products, here are some things to keep in mind:

• The Reference Name is for internal use only. This name shows up in App Store Connect and on your reports; it does not show up in the App Store.

• The Product ID must be a unique alphanumeric number, and it cannot be changed or reused—even after the product is removed.

• The Display Name and Description are what potential customers will see when viewing your product in the App Store. You can add additional localizations using the Add (+) button. However, with the gloopdrop project, you’ll use only English (U.S.).

Naming Your In-App Purchases

When it comes to naming conventions and description text for your in-app purchases, you’re limited in space, so choose wisely. Pick something players will recognize and easily understand what’s being offered. Apple recommends avoiding generic names. Apple also recommends that you tie-in the name of your game in some way. For example, Forest Explorer offers an in-app purchase with the name Explorer Pack that unlocks premium maps and trail recommendations.

Add a Consumable

The next type of product you’ll add is a consumable product that lets players continue their game when they miss a drop. Consumables are, well, consumed by the player. In other words, their quantity is reduced when used and not replaced until the player buys the product again.

Return to the Features page and click the Add (+) button to add another product. This time, when the Select the in-app purchase you want to create dialog appears, select the Consumable option and click the Create button.

For this new product, set up the following options:

• Reference Name: Continue Game (1x)
• Product ID: {your bundle id}.continue.1
• Price: USD 0.99
• Display Name: Continue Game (1x)
• Description: Continue your game up to one time

Once again, replace {your bundle id} with your Bundle ID.

The number 1 represents the quantity being purchased. This isn’t something Apple forces you to do. Rather, it’s more of a personal choice to help organize things. For example, you might want to sell a three-pack of continues for $1.99. In that case, you could set the ID to {your bundle id}.continue.3.

When you’re done adding these two products, you’ll end up with something like this:

At this point, you’re ready to head back to Xcode and integrate in-app purchase support.