Mike Peterson
Microsoft on Friday criticized recent changes to Apple's App Store that loosened restrictions for cloud gaming apps, stating that it still remains a "bad experience."
Earlier in the day, Apple outlined a number of changes that it's making to the App Store to loosen restrictions for cloud-based gaming services. That includes allowing "catalog" apps with the caveat that individual games must still have separate App Store listings.
While the rules allow cloud-based platforms to exist, Microsoft — creator of the xCloud gaming platform — believes that they're still too stringent to make the experience convenient for gamers.
"This remains a bad experience for customers. Gamers want to jump directly into a game from their curated catalog within one app just like they do with movies or songs, and not be forced to download over 100 apps to play individual games from the cloud," Microsoft wrote in a statement to CNET.
Microsoft added that it's "committed to putting gamers at the center of everything we do, and providing a great experience is core to that mission."
Google and Nvidia, makers of the Stadia and GeForce Now cloud gaming platforms, both declined to comment to media outlets.
Apple's exact guidelines allow companies to submit "catalog" apps that can help users sign up for a subscription service and find individual game listings on the App Store. As mentioned earlier, each individual game must be submitted to the App Store separately and have their own listing, though streaming clients are now acceptable. The catalog app itself, as well as games, must also comply with Apple's guidelines regarding updates, in-app purchases, and Sign in with Apple.
Microsoft has criticized Apple's App Store rules in the past. In August, the xCloud maker accused Apple of treating gaming apps unfairly compared to music or movie platforms.
Previously, Apple completely barred cloud gaming services from the App Store with a requirement that "each game must be downloaded directly from the App Store." Apple's own Apple Arcade, despite being a subscription-based service, adheres to that rule with individual game listings.
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52 Comments
On day one of loosened rules the complaints from the companies that don't get the full control that they want are rolling in. Hey Microsoft, start your own gaming platform. Oh, wait, you did. To be more fair and balanced, I'll consider MS's offering. I didn't like Apple Arcade. But I appreciate the way Apple is letting this occur. I definitely don't want companies like MS to take over control of the iOS interface and experience. They had multiple chances and they blew it. Now they are a bunch of cry babies.
"This remains a bad experience for customers..." Ok Microsoft, I see what you did there. You're speaking Apple-ese. Smart.
As much as I am a fan of Apple's ecosystem and 'walled garden', I struggle to see the risk of streaming game platforms. I'm not much of a gamer, but I would rather have one app that can stream tons of games, than have to download each game one by one and delete them to make room for more. Am I getting the two models right?
I heard xCloud get compared to Netflix like this: They are both zero footprint downward streams with upward controls. The play/pause/skip function is just replaced by left/right/jump/shoot etc. I honestly think Apple isn't allowing it simply because they can't figure out a way to monetize it.
The leaders of ‘Bad Experience’ have spoken.
Okay, so...
MS made xCloud due to complaints from xBox users having a bad experience because they want to play hundreds of games at once but don’t want to download hundreds of games?
Any gamers on this forum?
Any of you playing through 100s of games at the moment?
or are you playing through maybe 1 or 3-4.
so instead of 1 xBox xCloud app - there would be 100s of them in all manner of game categories, with comments about how well the controls translate for that specific game and coming up in charts and no doubt doing well against other games.
apple says to microsoft - hey don’t have one bit of floorspace, have hundreds. hey don’t have one brand in the store, have heaps of leading brands.
apple says, hey don’t just limit your service and income to existing xBox users - target people on iOS who aren’t and let’s make it easy for them by offering sign in with apple.
microsoft is complaining?