Today, Apple is making a significant change by opening its App Store to accommodate game streaming apps and services. This decision allows platforms like Xbox Cloud Streaming and GeForce Now, previously limited to iOS through web browsers, to offer comprehensive apps.
In a blog post, Apple highlighted that developers can now submit a single app capable of streaming their entire game catalog, marking a departure from the previous requirement of submitting each game as a standalone app. This change applies globally.
In 2020, there was an initial impression that Apple had created space for cloud gaming services in the App Store, but it became evident that all games within these services needed separate submission and review.
The latest shift, enabling a single app for multiple games, represents a significant development. As part of this update, Apple emphasizes that experiences within an app must adhere to the App Store Review Guidelines, and the host app must maintain the highest age rating of its included content.
Furthermore, Apple states that developers now have the opportunity to enhance discovery within their apps by offering streaming games, mini-apps, mini-games, chatbots, and plugins. Importantly, these elements can utilize Apple’s In-App Purchase system, allowing the incorporation of paid digital content or services. For instance, developers can offer subscriptions for individual chatbots.
This announcement is part of a broader initiative to open up the App Store, coinciding with changes following an antitrust investigation by the European Commission. Among these changes is the allowance of alternative app stores and browser engines within the European Union.
