Facebook Gaming app debuts amid fight with Apple over instant games

Facebook launched its standalone Facebook Gaming app on iOS today but complained loudly that Apple wouldn’t let it launch the instant games that are part of the app on Android.

This Facebook app helps players find games and connect with friends. But it doesn’t let people play with each other instantly, as it does on Android, because Apple doesn’t permit this on its platform. This is part of an ongoing dispute between Apple and Facebook.

“Gaming brings people together. And that’s even more important today amidst the pandemic,” said Facebook chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg in a statement and a series of tweets. “Unfortunately, we had to remove gameplay functionality entirely in order to get Apple’s approval on the standalone Facebook Gaming app — meaning iOS users have an inferior experience to those using Android. We’re staying focused on building communities for the more than 380 million people who play games on Facebook every month — whether Apple allows it in a standalone app or not.”

We’ve asked Apple for comment and haven’t heard back yet.

The dispute is similar to the situation between Microsoft and Apple over Project xCloud, the cloud gaming service players use to stream PC and console games to their mobile devices. Apple said Project xCloud didn’t meet its guidelines, but Microsoft maintained that Apple stood in the way of its subscription service Xbox Game Pass. Google Stadia and Nvidia GeForce have similar issues with Apple.

Facebook launched the Facebook Gaming app on Google Play in April, and it was planning to launch on iOS at the same time. But Apple rejected the standalone Facebook Gaming app back then and has rejected it about half a dozen times since, citing app store guideline 4.7.

This guideline states HTML5 games are permitted as long as “code distribution isn’t the primary purpose of the app.” The issue Facebook has is that playing games is objectively not the primary purpose of the Facebook Gaming app. On the Android version, about 95% of app activity is from watching game livestreams, with the rest made up of playing games.

Facebook has argued this case many times, shared this stat with Apple, and made a formal appeal via the system it launched at WWDC. But Facebook said it never received a response. Since the app is important for Facebook Gaming creators, the company said it is launching the app without games and being transparent about what’s going on.

Apple’s policy may earn it more heat when it comes to antitrust concerns. Rivals like Facebook allege Apple has too much control over its platform and that it prevents others from making money. But Apple’s own view has been that it protects users and their private information while others use obtrusive advertising models to harm privacy.