Game Makers Affected By Latest Changes To Apple App Store Guidelines

Apple (AAPL) has tightened up its App Store guidelines, affecting big gaming giants like Google, Microsoft, and Facebook.

The new Apple Store App guidelines now require the app makers to list each game or app they offer separately, instead of offering one place to download all their games, such as through a catalog app. A catalog app allows for links to other games that may interest a user without having to search individually through the App Store to find each one.

With the new rules, game makers will have to individually list each app they offer even if they have hundreds of games. The guidelines also require app makers to have a developer relationship with Apple and only use its in-app payment processing system to purchase the apps. Apple takes about a 30% cut of the app’s revenue through the service, CNBC reported.

The guidelines presented by Apple, which has its own gaming subscription service called Apple Arcade, arguably give the tech giant more control over its platform and have come under scrutiny recently. Epic Games, the maker behind Fortnite, has been involved in a legal battle with Apple over the guidelines that caused its game to be removed for the App Store in August.

Microsoft and Facebook have also said that Apple’s guidelines restrict what gaming apps can do on iPhones and iPads. The former’s xCloud service was previously not available on iOS but now is offered along with Google’s Stadia.

Apple also changed the ability for virtual classes to be held without using its in-app payment process, but eased the requirement for free apps to use in-app payment service.

Shares of Apple were trading at $111.32 as of 2:25 p.m. EDT, down $2.17 or 1.92%.