Apple updated its App Store guidelines yesterday, April 5, to make it much easier to access game emulators through its digital storefront.
It’s the latest concession to the Digital Markets Act (DMA) for the European Union. After Spotify and other parties criticized Apple’s steps to comply, an amendment to the App Store guidelines page opened the doors to video game emulators that allow for game downloads.
“Additionally, retro game console emulator apps can offer to download games,” the section in the guidelines for mini apps and game streaming, but the caveat is that developers are “responsible for all such software offered in your app, including ensuring that such software complies with these Guidelines and all applicable laws.”
That could mean emulators are only able to offer titles from the same developers, which could make things less appealing for retro gaming enthusiasts. Still, these changes also apply to Game Streaming, which may renew some hope for Xbox Game Pass subscribers hoping to play on their iPhone or iPad.
Streaming services and ‘Super Apps’
It’s not just emulators that are seeing a more relaxed certification process for the App Store, as music streaming services will now be able to send users to a website to sign up for subscriptions.
This applies to music streaming apps “in specific regions” that can be implemented by something like a buy button.
So-called “Super Apps”, like WeChat, are also benefitting from the change. Each section within a Super App must now use HTML 5. Apple locking out such apps was a major reason for the DOJ’s recent lawsuit, so it could end up being effective in facilitating change in more regions than just Europe.