Apple announced it will allow retro game emulators on the App Store, loosening its grip on the marketplace. Emulators have long been banned on the App Store, and are suspected to be a big reason behind users in the EU seeking out third-party app stores, a report from The Verge said.
The move should allow retro console emulators already to maker their way into iPhones. These have been available on Android for some time. The move might encourage developers to make the switch benefiting them as well as users looking for retro games on their iOS devices.
An emulator is a software that allows older game systems to run on newer hardware. It is popular among gamers looking to play older games that are no longer avialale on newer devices.
On Apple’s App Store, games will have to comply with applicable laws, meaning the company will ban pirated titles.
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Apple also updated its ruled around super apps, such as WeChat, stating that mini-games and mini-apps withing these apps should have HTML5, which will stop them from being native apps and games.
The shift in policy from Apple comes even as the company had to allow alternative app stores in the EU, in compliance with recently implemented DMA. Apple is also facing an antitrust lawsuit in the U.S. which accuses the Cupertino-based tech giant of attampeing to stomp out both cloud game streaming and super apps.
Earlier this year, Apple allowed services like Xbox Cloud Gaming, and GeForce Now, onto the App Store.