Apple has decided to lift significant restrictions on game-streaming services, marking a substantial shift in its approach to these platforms. Streaming services like Xbox Cloud Streaming and Nvidia’s GeForce Now will now be able to offer full-featured apps directly through Apple’s App Store. This change eliminates the previous requirement for developers to submit individual apps for each game available on their streaming service, simplifying the process and streamlining the user experience on iOS devices such as iPhones and iPads.
This move is a departure from Apple’s previous stance, where game-streaming apps were directed to web browsers like Chrome or Safari, adding an extra layer of complexity for users who wanted to stream games on their Apple devices. The earlier restrictions mandated a “catalog app” that listed all available games but required each game to have a standalone app downloaded from the App Store. Notably, this model also involved linking out to individual game apps from the catalog app.
The recent announcement signifies a significant change in Apple’s policies, allowing developers to submit a single app encompassing their entire game catalog. However, Apple emphasizes that each experience within the app must adhere to the App Store Review Guidelines, maintaining the highest age rating among the included content. Developers are now granted the ability to enhance discovery opportunities for streaming games, mini-apps, mini-games, chatbots, and plug-ins within their apps.
These transformative shifts in Apple’s policies are part of a broader series of changes aimed at opening up the App Store. Following an antitrust investigation by the European Commission, Apple is making adjustments to its rules, including allowing alternative app stores and browser engines in the EU. This latest move is expected to make cloud gaming more accessible and user-friendly on Apple devices, potentially attracting a broader audience to engage with gaming content through the App Store.
Developers, including major players like Microsoft and Nvidia, can now explore dedicated apps on the App Store for their game streaming services. While this change is anticipated to enhance the user experience for gamers on iOS devices, the industry awaits the response from major gaming companies, such as Sony Interactive Entertainment, which may consider bringing their cloud-based game-streaming services to Apple’s ecosystem. With over 2 billion active Apple devices worldwide, this shift could prompt more developers to tap into the cloud-gaming market directly through the App Store.
As Apple continues to adapt its policies, the gaming community eagerly anticipates how these changes will shape the future landscape of mobile gaming on iOS devices. This announcement follows a broader trend in the tech industry, with gaming platforms seeking more flexibility and accessibility to reach a wider audience. While the full impact of these changes is yet to unfold, it is clear that Apple is making significant strides toward fostering a more inclusive and dynamic environment for game streaming on its platform.
