For years now, Xbox Game Pass subscribers with Apple devices have been forced to stream games through the browser. Previously, Apple policy blocked Xbox Game Pass from appearing on the App Store. The reason was that Apple forced companies to submit every single game offered through streaming to ensure that it fit with standards. However, Apple has now announced a change to that policy, which allows developers to submit a single app for approval. The change was apparently made following feedback from the Apple community.ย
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“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,” a companyย blog post reads.
Xbox Cloud Streaming
At this time, Xbox has not made any kind of announcement about an App Store release, so Game Pass subscribers will have to use the current method for the time being. Apple goes on to note that the host app would “need to maintain an age rating of the highest age-rated content included in the app.” This means that a potential App Store version of Xbox Game Pass would end up with an age rating of 17+ thanks to games on the service like Resident Evil 2.ย
Over the last few years, Game Pass has become an increasingly large part of the Xbox brand. The subscription service offers a significant number of games that can be enjoyed through Cloud streaming, and that save data syncs with the console itself. This means that Game Pass titles such as Palworld can be enjoyed even when it’s not convenient to play on Xbox Series X or Series S. Not every Game Pass game is available through Cloud streaming, and this part of the service can only be accessed by those that subscribe to the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate tier.ย
Upcoming Game Pass Games
The month of January has been very good to Xbox Game Pass subscribers, with several major additions to the service, including Assassin’s Creed Valhallaย and Super Mega Baseball 4. The next few weeks will see the addition of Brotato (January 30th), Persona 3 Reload (February 2nd), and Anuchard (February 6th). All of Microsoft’s first-party games are released day one on Xbox Game Pass, which means that fans can expect to see Indiana Jones and the Great Circle when it arrives later this year. Unfortunately, a specific release date has not been announced for that game just yet. Hopefully by the time it does come out, Apple users will be able to play it on a dedicated app, rather than having to use the current method!ย
Would you like to see Xbox Game Pass get an actual app on Apple devices? Do you take advantage of the Cloud streaming function with your subscription? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter atย @Marcdachampย or on Instagram atย @Dachampgaming!
[H/T: Video Games Chronicle]
