Apple App Store Policies forced FB Gaming iOS App to launch without Mini Games Section

Facebook is not happy with the rejections it has faced. They says it had to remove the mini games feature after the Gaming app was rejected several times in the recent months.

Facebook Gaming app, a dedicated platform for watching livestreams of games, was launched in April to take on competitors like Twitch. This app was made available for Android users initially, and after months of review, it was finally launched on Friday for iOS users. While the Facebook Gaming app is live on the App Store, it comes without a key feature that is available for Android users – mini games. Criticising Apple’s App Store approval process, Facebook says that it had to take this call after the Gaming app was rejected several times in recent months.

“Unfortunately, we had to remove gameplay functionality entirely in order to get Apple’s approval on the standalone Facebook Gaming app — meaning iOS users have an inferior experience to those using Android,” said Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook’s chief operating officer in a press statement given to The Verge. “We’re staying focused on building communities for the more than 380 million people who play games on Facebook every month — whether Apple allows it in a standalone app or not.”

Apple justifies its rejection by claiming that Facebook Gaming app violates App Store guideline 4.7, Where as FB claiming the primary purpose of the Facebook Gaming app is to play games. Facebook says it shared usage data from its Android Facebook Gaming app that showed 95 percent of activity is watching streams, but this didn’t change Apple’s stance.

Facebook Gaming Chief Vivek Sharma also was also quoted to say that the company had to make several compromises in the past due to this stringent Apple App Store rules. “Even on the main Facebook app and Messenger, we’ve been forced to bury Instant Games for years on iOS. This is shared pain across the games industry, which ultimately hurts players and devs and severely hamstrings innovation on mobile for other types of formats, like cloud gaming.”

Apple is facing growing criticism from rivals and the gaming industry to loosen its App Store restrictions. 

Apple’s argument is that the company can’t individually review games offered on streaming services, but the company doesn’t seem to have the same issues with services like Netflix or YouTube that stream millions of videos, TV shows, and movies to Apple’s iOS devices that Apple can’t possibly review.