Apple Opens App Store To Game Streaming Services (theverge.com) 8
Starting today Apple is opening up its App Store to allow game streaming apps and services. From a report: This means that services like Xbox Cloud Streaming and GeForce Now, which previously were only accessible on iOS via a web browser, will be able to offer full-featured apps. "Developers can now submit a single app with the capability to stream all of the games offered in their catalog," Apple wrote in a blog post. These changes apply "worldwide," according to the company.
In 2020, Apple appeared to have carved out a space for these cloud gaming services in the App Store. But that turned out not to be the case, as all games available through each service had to be submitted and reviewed as a standalone app. So the shift to allow one app with a large catalog of games marks a major change. As part of today's announcement, Apple said that "each experience made available in an app on the App Store will be required to adhere to all App Store Review Guidelines and its host app will need to maintain an age rating of the highest age-rated content included in the app." Apple also says that developers will now "be able to provide enhanced discovery opportunities for streaming games, mini-apps, mini-games, chatbots, and plug-ins that are found within their apps," and that "mini-apps, mini-games, chatbots, and plug-ins will be able to incorporate Apple's In-App Purchase system to offer their users paid digital content or services for the first time, such as a subscription for an individual chatbot."
In 2020, Apple appeared to have carved out a space for these cloud gaming services in the App Store. But that turned out not to be the case, as all games available through each service had to be submitted and reviewed as a standalone app. So the shift to allow one app with a large catalog of games marks a major change. As part of today's announcement, Apple said that "each experience made available in an app on the App Store will be required to adhere to all App Store Review Guidelines and its host app will need to maintain an age rating of the highest age-rated content included in the app." Apple also says that developers will now "be able to provide enhanced discovery opportunities for streaming games, mini-apps, mini-games, chatbots, and plug-ins that are found within their apps," and that "mini-apps, mini-games, chatbots, and plug-ins will be able to incorporate Apple's In-App Purchase system to offer their users paid digital content or services for the first time, such as a subscription for an individual chatbot."
What Nice Fellas (Score:2, Troll)
That's so kind of them!
Re:What Nice Fellas (Score:4, Informative)
That's so kind of them!
They waited almost exactly a year after Google left the market just to make sure it didn't look like they were trying to keep Google out, and waited until after everybody else had things thoroughly working in the browser before doing this. Basically, it got to the point where pushing back was moot, so they relented.
This really should have happened several years ago.
Re: What Nice Fellas (Score:1)
Re: (Score:3)
Google did not need a conspiracy to flush them out of the market.
I'm not saying it did. I'm saying that if a company the size of Apple had suddenly started allowing streaming apps on their platform the week after a competitor stopped trying to ship streaming games on their platform, it could have given the appearance that they were holding off on allowing streaming game apps in an attempt to drive Google out of the market, which would have looked bad for Apple when antirust regulators started asking questions about the timing of the decision.
maintain an age rating of the highest age-rated so (Score:2)
maintain an age rating of the highest age-rated so both geforce and xbox will be at 17+
Re: (Score:3)
Not necessarily. They can make one app with bundled games appropriate for younger users, another with bundled games for slightly older, and the last rated for adults. That means three apps to cover their entire catalog and they still can have the apps rated age appropriately.
It's possible that that could also lower their "listing fees" with the app stores. Three apps instead of 50+ individual games.
Opens door for Netflix (Score:1)
I think this is what was holding Netflix back from supporting games and more advanced video watching features in iOS apps. So, they should have some enhancements incoming after this.