Netflix Games will be made available individually on Apple’s App Store when they eventually come to iOS, according to Bloomberg‘s often reliable Mark Gurman.
The streamer made its first official foray into gaming last week with five Android titles, including a pair of Stranger Things experiences. However, the company simply said at the time that an iOS rollout is “on the way.”
Per Bloomberg, the hold-up appears to be related to Apple’s strict App Store policies, which prevent third-party apps from offering as an all-in-one hub for a collection of games. Microsoft infamously ran into this issue last year with its Xbox Game Pass’ Cloud Gaming service, which it’s since offered via browsers on iOS.
It should be noted that Netflix Games currently operate similarly on Android; you still need to download each title individually from the Play Store. However, Gurman predicts that Netflix will eventually offer its games in an all-in-one app through the cloud, which would be possible on Android but not iOS based on the current App Store rules.
“To be a true all-in-one service on iOS, Netflix will have to make its move to the cloud — and Apple will need to change its rules or grant Netflix an exemption,” Gurman concluded. “That leaves the ultimate success of Netflix’s service in the hands of Apple, a longtime partner but also a growing rival.”
Netflix Games are offered at no additional cost to Netflix subscribers and can be found on Android under the ‘Netflix Games’ banner on the Netflix app homepage or the new ‘games’ tab. Netflix has also previously said its gaming efforts will be “primarily focused on games for mobile devices,” although this seems to leave the possibility open for AAA console and/or PC titles.
Image credit: Netflix
Source: Bloomberg
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