More than 20 thousand iOS games can be removed from the Chinese App Store

A third of the games with monetization available in the Chinese App Store are at risk. They are not ratified by the local regulator, and therefore can be removed by Apple.

 Game for Peace As we wrote earlier, at the end of February, the Apple company introduced new requirements for games that are distributed in the Chinese App Store.

According to them, any game that is monetized through IAP or is paid must have a ratification number (ISBN).

The Chinese publisher AppInChina admits that such games will be removed. He even calculated exactly how many applications will be out of stock after Apple’s innovation starts working.

The publisher talks about 21 thousand games. This figure is obtained as follows:

• according to the state database, about 43 thousand licenses have been issued in total;
• according to the Chinese analytical service Qimai Data, there are 64 thousand paid games in the Chinese App Store (in the original it is not entirely clear: are we talking about paid games or about games that are affected by Apple’s new rules?);
• we subtract the first digit from the second and get 21 thousand.

Apple’s new practice will be a blow not only to publishers who have not previously received a license, but also to the platform itself, which takes 30% from each sale. However, it is unclear exactly what amount she will miss. But hardly significant.

As a result of 2019, Apple earned $8.8 billion from China. A large amount was generated by large local companies, which, as a rule, have no problems obtaining licenses.

The problem is really relevant for small local companies and foreign publishers, who need either an official representation in the country to obtain an ISBN, or work through a Chinese intermediary, who can take up to 70% of sales.

Also on the topic:

• To launch the game in the Chinese App Store, you will now need to obtain a licenseHow can a Western publisher get a license to release a game in China?
• Is there any news?