News

Valve removes games purchasing from iOS Steam Link following App Store rejection

Pages now display a buy from PC option instead of a buy now option

Valve removes games purchasing from iOS Steam Link following App Store rejection

Valve has tweaked the Steam Link iOS app by removing the option to purchase games remotely from the app.

As reported by TouchArcade, the TestFlight build of the Steam Link iOS app now displays the text available for purchase from your PC, rather than the buy now option it used to be.

The move is likely an attempt to bring the Steam Link iOS app in line with Apple’s new App Store Policies, which were responsible for Steam Link’s rejection last month.

Full of steam

While the app was initially approved a further review of it found it to be against guidelines.

Steam Database reported Valve as stating Apple had “revoked its approval citing business conflicts with app guidelines that had allegedly not been realised by the original review team”.

Apple’s updated guidelines prohibit apps that “provide a store-like interface, or include the ability to browse, select, or purchase software not already owned or licensed by the users”.

Under that specific guideline the older version of the iOS Steam Link would be seen as breaking the rules. This is because the Steam Link app allows users access to a mirror version of Steam running on a remote PC.

By comparison, Facebook is also facing challenges with Facebook Instant Games on the App Store.

The social networking giant recently introduced in-app purchases, and while available on the Facebook website and Google Play, IAPs have yet to be implemented on Instant Games through the iOS Facebook Messenger app.


Staff Writer

Iain is a freelance writer based in Scotland with a penchant for indies and all things Nintendo. Alongside PocketGamer.Biz, he has also appeared in Kotaku, Rock Paper Shotgun, PCGamesN and VG24/7.