Netflix games to avoid breaking App Store rules by getting launched individually

After months of testing and controlled releases, Netflix finally released its mobile games library to Android users worldwide on November 2. Unfortunately, the iOS version of the app is yet to receive this new addition of entertainment choice. At the very least, Netflix did let us know that the feature is also coming to iOS.

In truth, there might be a good reason Netflix games arrived on Android sooner than iOS, and that could very well be the App Store strict rules. With Android, there is a new tab dedicated to the game library. When you choose a game you want to play and tap on it, you are taken to the Play Store to download the app. After a quick sign-in with your Netflix account, you are set to go.

In the iOS version of the Netflix app, however, likely, we will not see a dedicated game library tab since the App Store rules do not allow it. However, in the last Power On newsletter from Mark Gurman, we catch a glimpse of what approach the streaming giant could take to maneuver around those rules.

A developer named Steve Moser told Bloomberg that Netflix is planning to release each of its games individually in the App Store. He got to this conclusion after digging inside the Netflix app code. Each title will have to be downloaded separately from the Netflix app. Then, just like with the Android version, you sign in with your account and start playing.

While this solves the App Store guidelines problem for Netflix, it is not a best-case scenario either. Even though not having a dedicated games tab might seem like a tiny nuisance, it breaks the seamless experience within the ecosystem, which Netflix is trying to build right now. On the other hand, this might not have to continue for too long, as Apple is still getting a lot of pressure regarding the App Store's guidelines.