Apple Blocks Game Streaming Apps in Move Deemed Consumer Hostile
Apple effectively bans Microsoft xCloud and Google Stadia by forcing each streaming game to submit individually for App Store review, sparking intense industry backlash.
Apple blocks major game streaming services like Microsoft xCloud and Google Stadia from launching on iOS and iPadOS. The company requires each individual game within these streaming libraries to submit separately for App Store review, a rule that effectively destroys the all-in-one subscription model these platforms offer.
Game streaming technology works by running graphically demanding titles on remote server farms, sending only an H.265 video feed to the user's device while returning controller inputs over the internet. This process requires no massive app downloads or local code execution, making it functionally identical to streaming a movie on Netflix with a game controller.
Microsoft condemns Apple's restrictive stance, noting that Apple stands alone as the only general-purpose platform to deny customers cloud gaming and game subscription services. As a result of this blockade, popular franchises like Halo remain absent from Apple devices while rival Samsung actively embraces xCloud integration.