Following the news that Valve’s Steam Link app was about to be released on Android and iOS devices, including Apple TV (Steam Link App will Stream PC Games to iOS and Android Devices) Apple has since reversed its decision and blocked the app for release on its devices, citing “business conflicts with app guidelines”. An appeal against the decision was also rejected. Valve broke the news in an official statement, saying:
“On Monday, May 7th, Apple approved the Steam Link app for release. On Wednesday, May 9th, Valve released news of the app. The following morning, Apple revoked its approval citing business conflicts with app guidelines that had allegedly not been realised by the original review team.
Valve appealed, explaining the Steam Link app simply functions as a LAN-based remote desktop similar to numerous remote desktop applications already available on the App Store. Ultimately, that appeal was denied leaving the Steam Link app for iOS blocked from release. The team here spent many hours on this project and the approval process, so we’re clearly disappointed. But we hope Apple will reconsider in the future”.
It is unclear exactly what conflicts Apple is referring to in its decision, but Reuters has surmised that it is based on a difference of opinion regarding microtransactions, otherwise known as in-app purchases.
