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Apple has removed the iGBA emulator from the App Store, citing its App Review Guidelines violations.
This move comes just over a week after Apple relaxed its rules to allow downloadable game emulators on the App Store. The iGBA’s brief tenure on the App Store highlights the ongoing complexities surrounding emulators, copyright, and the distribution of games.
The iGBA emulator was initially celebrated as a means for iPhone users to replay classic Game Boy games. Later, it was identified as a copy of Riley Testut’s open-source GBA4iOS project.
MacRumors reported that the iGBA emulator quickly climbed to the top of the App charts within a few hours of its release. However, this success was soon marred by controversy.
Social media users criticized the app for being a blatant copy riddled with advertisements. Testut himself voiced his disapproval via a post he made on Threads, highlighting the clone’s unauthorized nature and its reliance on intrusive ads. This public backlash undoubtedly added pressure on Apple to reevaluate the app’s presence on the App Store.
Apple Emulators vs. Copyright Issue
The exact reason behind Apple’s removal of the iGBA remains unclear. Some speculate it came from the unauthorized use of Testut’s work, while others claim it was a response to a potential copyright complaint from Nintendo, the owner of the Game Boy games.
Nintendo has previously stated on its customer support page that downloading pirated copies of its games is illegal. Whether this stance played a role in Apple’s decision to remove the iGBA emulator remains unconfirmed.
The removal of the iGBA emulator leaves several questions unanswered. What are the exact parameters of Apple’s new policy on retro game emulators? Will developers be able to offer legitimate emulators without infringing on copyright?
Testut himself has another emulator called Delta, which exists outside the App Store. Will he attempt to bring this project to the official platform in light of the rule change?
