Fortelling - Story Writing Appv5.0.4

Released August 31, 2026Major

iOS

The latest major update triggered a sharp decline in average rating from 3.43 to 1.0 on iOS. Technical instability and aggressive paywall implementation are the primary drivers of negative sentiment. The overall impact is negative, though the limited sample size requires further monitoring to confirm long-term retention risks.

What changed

New featureNew family tree feature to plot royal families and dynasties
New featureTimed writing sprint sessions to track goals
UXReworked statistics for deeper insight into writing habits
PlatformHomescreen widgets for word count and streak tracking
RetentionStreak tracking via widgets

Reception

35/ 100 impact scoreNegative

What didn't

UX
backfired
Users report technical instability and crashes when accessing boards following the latest update.
New feature
backfired
Reviewers express frustration regarding the restriction of features behind a subscription paywall.

Marlvel takeaways

Prioritize a hotfix to resolve board-access crashes that emerged immediately post-update.
Evaluate the current paywall placement, as users perceive the new feature gating as overly restrictive.
Monitor incoming feedback closely, as the current sample size is too small to confirm if the negative sentiment reflects the broader user base.

Original release notes

Update 5.0 introduces many new and improved functionalities:
- Family tree: plot out relationships of entire royal families or dynasties.
- Writing sprints: timed sessions to help you hit your goals.
- Reworked statistics: deeper insight into your writing habits.
- Homescreen widgets: see your word count and streak at a glance.

Curious what changed exactly? Check the app's changelog.