Apple has long been known for jailing some apps from the App Store according to its guidelines, and one such type of application has been video game emulators. However, all that will change in the near future thanks to recent updates regarding Apple's guidelines regarding third-party applications, especially the emulator itself.
On Friday, April 5, 2024, Apple updated its App Store guidelines. The focus of this update was section 4.7, which describes third-party software such as mini-apps, mini-games, streaming games, chatbots, and plugins. Recently added game emulator. The exact excerpt from the update regarding video game emulators specifies the following:
Apple's App Store Guidelines state:
4.7 Mini Apps, Mini Games, Streaming Games, Chatbots, Plugins, and Game Emulators
The App may offer certain software that is not embedded in the binary, specifically HTML5 mini-apps and mini-games, streaming games, chatbots, and plugins. Additionally, retro game console emulator apps may offer game downloads. You are responsible for all such software provided in your App, including ensuring that such software complies with these guidelines and all applicable laws. Masu. Software that does not comply with one or more guidelines will lead to app rejection. You must also ensure that your software complies with the additional rules following 4.7.1 and 4.7.5. These additional rules are important to maintaining the experience App Store customers expect and ensuring user safety.
- 4.7.1 Software provided in apps under this rule must:
- Follow all privacy guidelines, including, but not limited to, the rules set forth in Guideline 5.1 regarding the collection, use, and sharing of data and sensitive data (such as children's health data and personal data).
- This includes ways to filter objectionable content, mechanisms to report content and respond to concerns in a timely manner, and the ability to block abusive users.and
- We use in-app purchases to provide digital goods and services to end users.
- 4.7.2 Your app may not extend or expose native platform APIs to software without prior permission from Apple.
- 4.7.3 The App may not share data or privacy permissions with individual software provided within the App without obtaining explicit user consent in each case.
- 4.7.4 You must provide an index of the software and metadata available in your app. You must include universal links that lead to all software provided with your app.
- 4.7.5 Apps must share the age rating of the most age-restricted content available within the app.
One known emulator recently approved for distribution is the Game Boy Advance emulator known as Delta (formerly GBA4iOS), albeit an alternative sideloading store for iOS called AltStore. Developer Riley Testut posted about emulator approval for AltStore. April 7, 2024 via Mastodon.
Delta's recent admission to the AltStore is something else entirely, but it remains to be seen whether Delta will officially appear on the App Store.
One particularly interesting aspect of the recent update is that Apple's guidelines specifically refer to it as a “retro game console emulator app.” Can suggest game downloads. You are responsible for all such software provided in your App, including ensuring that such software complies with these guidelines and all applicable laws. I assume that. Until video game emulators are properly approved for distribution on the official App Store, it remains to be seen whether users will be able to offer their own ROMs instead of relying solely on downloadable games. Through the emulator itself.
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Updated App Store emulator guidelines
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