Video streaming platform Netflix recently rolled out a mobile gaming service for Android users.

Netflix: Video streaming platform Netflix recently rolled out a mobile gaming service for Android users. The platform also said that it was working on creating an iOS version of the gaming service. However, reports have said that this might run into hurdles posed by the App Store policies put in place by Apple. The tech giant’s App Store policies will not allow Netflix to make games available from its app. Basically, as per Cupertino’s policies, third-party apps cannot act as a hub for games. This is also a point of contention with gaming services like Nvidia GeForce Now, Google Stadia and Xbox Cloud Gaming. The only way for cloud gaming platforms to get around this policy is by offering their games via a web app like Facebook has done.

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Now, a Bloomberg report has stated that the OTT platform will work around this policy by making its games available via the App Store. What this means is that the Netflix app itself will not allow users to download or play the games there, and users would only be able to launch the games from there. This is how the service is currently being offered on Android. The Netflix for Android app contains a dedicated tab where games are lined up. However, every game needs to be downloaded separately from the Google Play Store.

This is a fine setup, but it is also inconvenient for an all-in-one gaming service. This is why Bloomberg has predicted that Netflix would soon move its games to the cloud, and while that would work fine with Android, Apple’s App Store policies would not make it easy for cloud gaming to survive. In order to work on iOS, these services would then need to resort to web apps.

The Bloomberg report has opined that for Netflix gaming service to survive, either Cupertino would need to change its policy or grant an exemption to Netflix. This means that the success of Netflix is in the hands of Apple.