Earlier this month, Netflix has officially entered in the market of games launching an ad hoc service for Android devices. The iOS version will be officially available soon, but its system should be different according to Mark Gurman, a reporter for Bloomberg. Based on company policy, Netflix may not make games available through your app. And how will Apple users do it then? Simple: the first company will have to "yield" to the request of the second.
Apple doesn't allow third-party apps to be downloaded, so Netflix will have to make its apps available on the App Store
What happens? In a nutshell, Apple prevents third-party apps from acting as hubs for games. This business has become a bone of contention even in cloud services like Xbox Cloud Gaming, NVIDIA GeForce Now, and Google Stadia. Cloud gaming services can get around this problem just by offering their games via a web app.
According to Gurman, Netflix will "circumvent" Apple's rules by putting its games on the App Store. This means that the games cannot be downloaded or played from the Netflix app - we will only be able to launch them from there. On Android, there is a dedicated guide in the streaming movie app, although each game is also individually downloadable from the Play Store. Gurman states:
Apple will have to change its rules or grant Netflix an exemption. This leaves the ultimate success of the Netflix service in the hands of Apple, a longtime partner but also a rival
While this mode is good for users, not ideal for a service that wants to put a gaming platform under one hat. Users should be able to download and play within the service itself. That's why Gurman predicts that Netflix will eventually bring its games to the cloud. That said, it is unclear when Netflix will decide to do so, nor what will happen to the service on iOS.
