Apple rule change opens the door for native GeForce Now and Xbox Game Streaming on App Store

GeForce Now
(Image credit: Nvidia)

Nvidia GeForce Now, Xbox Cloud Gaming and other game streaming services could be making their way to the Apple app store, thanks to changes that Apple has made to its developer rules. Apple's new regulations enable games to be streamed, which wasn't previously allowed. If Nvidia makes a GeForce Now application or Microsoft makes one for Xbox Cloud Gaming, it could make it easier to access cloud gaming and unlock special features and abilities that might not be present in the web-based versions of these services.

"Today, Apple is introducing new options for how apps globally can deliver in-app experiences to users, including streaming games and mini-programs. Developers can now submit a single app with the capability to stream all of the games offered in their catalog," Apple wrote in a blog post. That also added that apps will need to "maintain an age rating of the highest age-rated content included in the app" as part of the App Store rules.

Previously, any publisher that wanted to support cloud gaming libraries needed to jump through tons of hoops; Apple's old regulations specified that publishers needed to pass each game in its cloud service as an individual app on the store. On top of this, any additional games that get added to the cloud service would need to be published as dedicated apps on the App Store.

The work required to get the 1,500+ games available on the GeForce Now library, for example through Apple's qualification processes would have taken an incredibly long time to finish, if it was possible at all.

Thankfully Apple's latest regulations are substantially less demanding no longer requiring the addition of each game offered in a cloud gaming app to be passed through the Apple store as an independent entity.

For now, though we'll have to wait and see if Nvidia, Microsoft, and others decides to make applications for the Apple App Store. Apple's new rules just came out today so it will be some time. Nvidia's dedicated GeForce Now applications have always been superior to their web-based counterparts, including better system latency, higher resolution support, and more features in general. 

The good news is that Nvidia and Microsoft already have web-based versions of GeForce Now and Xbox Game Streaming that iOS and iPhone users can use in the meantime. Mac users get their own dedicated version of the GeForce Now app, which you can download from Nvidia directly

Aaron Klotz
Contributing Writer

Aaron Klotz is a contributing writer for Tom’s Hardware, covering news related to computer hardware such as CPUs, and graphics cards.

  • gg83
    Apple will demand 27% of the sales from the streaming services. I don't see Microsoft doing that.
    Reply
  • JamesJones44
    gg83 said:
    Apple will demand 27% of the sales from the streaming services. I don't see Microsoft doing that.
    The EU terms are a bit more favorable. 17% cut with $0.50 per new user download per year (over 1 million downloads). Assuming they roll that out everywhere M$ might go for it (maybe).
    Reply
  • atomicWAR
    Freedom of marketplace choice should be standard for all devices PC and mobile. And these ridiculous percentages Apple and others take, in Apples case even when not using their store. Basically it should be ZERO for Apple if you get something from say Epics/Nvidia/MS own stores/streaming services assuming you don't use the App store to make said purchase. Both Apple and Google should be forced to comply. Hopefully laws will be passed (or regulatory agencies step in) forcing the issue.
    Reply