Apple removes thousands of game apps from China store: report
03 Aug 2020
Apple Inc is reported to have removed 29,800 apps from its Chinese app store, including more than 26,000 games, reports citing data from research firm Qimai said on Saturday.
Chinese authorities are reported to be cracking down on unlicensed games, which might have forced the smart phone maker to remove the games apps.
The smartphone maker removed more than 2,500 titles from its app store over the first week of July, reuters reporte, adding that Apple had, earlier, asked makers of game apps to submit a government-issued licence number by end-June, to enable users to make in-app purchases.
Games affected by the sweep included titles from Zynga and Supercell, research firm SensorTower reported at the time.
The Chinese government has long sought to enforce stricter regulations on its gaming industry to remove sensitive content.
The approval process for games looking to enable in-app purchases is long and complicated, hurting all but the largest game developers, industry insiders say.
“This affects small- and mid-sized developers’ incomes the most, but due to the difficulties of acquiring a business licence, it’s devastating to the whole iOS game industry in China,” the report quoted Todd Kuhns, marketing manager for AppInChina, a firm that helps overseas companies distribute their apps, as saying.