Apple Opens Door to Retro Game Emulators' Return to App Store, But Uncertainty Remains
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Apple recently updated its App Store guidelines to allow emulators, opening the door for retro game emulators to return. However, there are still some caveats.
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Emulators must comply with all laws and guidelines. This raises questions around the legality of old "abandonware" games.
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Apple seems to be grouping emulators with things like mini apps and chatbots, stating apps "may offer certain software that is not embedded in the binary."
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There is some uncertainty around whether emulators can leverage native system APIs or if they must use high-level emulation tech. This could limit performance.
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As with all Apple policy changes, precedent will likely be set by what they allow and don't allow. The full impact remains to be seen.