'It's our ambition to scale cloud gaming through Xbox Game Pass available on all devices,' the statement said, 'but we have nothing further to share at this time regarding iOS.Microsoft recently updated its Xbox app and the big news is that it has a new 'remote play' feature that allows you to stream and play Xbox games on your iPhone and iPad for the first time. A statement from the company pledged to continue working toward a solution. And it's a critical next step in Microsoft's plan to end direct competition between Xbox and PlayStation for good.īut without support for Apple phones and tablets, Microsoft's ambitious plan faces a major roadblock.

It's the next evolution of an already successful service: Xbox Game Pass has over 10 million paying subscribers right now. Moreover, every major Xbox game published by Microsoft, from 'Halo' to 'Gears of War' to 'Forza Motorsport,' gets published to the service at launch, alongside a smattering of third-party games like 'The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt' and 'Grand Theft Auto 5.' It's the persistent library, paired with the ability to stream those games to whatever device you've got, that makes Game Pass so similar to something like Netflix. Given that Apple allows services like Netflix and Spotify without reviewing every piece of content, why not allow a similar service for gaming? The difference boils down to the medium, according to Apple: Games are interactive, unlike music and film, and there are consumer expectations baked into the App Store related to gaming. It's available on Android phones and tablets, but not Apple devices. 'In addition to the App Store, developers can choose to reach all iPhone and iPad users over the web through Safari and other browsers on the App Store.'Ī similar service offered by Google, named Google Stadia, has also run into roadblocks with Apple's App Store guidelines. 'Our customers enjoy great apps and games from millions of developers, and gaming services can absolutely launch on the App Store as long as they follow the same set of guidelines applicable to all developers, including submitting games individually for review, and appearing in charts and search,' Apple said in a statement to Business Insider. It often indicates a user profile.īecause Microsoft isn't submitting each game on its streaming service to Apple's review process, the app that enables access to those games is being blocked from publishing. Account icon An icon in the shape of a person's head and shoulders.

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