back to article Apple bans COVID-19 games and restricts virus-related apps to authoritative souces

Apple has proclaimed it won’t let COVID-19-related games into its app store, because it’s the responsible thing to do. Cupertino’s new guidance issued to developers late last week said “Communities around the world are depending on apps to be credible news sources — helping users understand the latest health innovations, find …

  1. sanmigueelbeer

    Plague Inc. game banned in China

    Plague Inc. game banned in China

    1. macjules

      Re: Plague Inc. game banned in China

      +1 Beat me to it. Still have it on my iPhone.

    2. DrXym

      Re: Plague Inc. game banned in China

      Kind of ridiculous too seeing as:

      a) its a game, and an educational one at that

      b) it doesn't have a COVID-19 scenario, although you do get to name your pathogen

      c) what the hell?

      1. sanmigueelbeer

        Re: Plague Inc. game banned in China

        Kind of ridiculous too seeing as

        The game was made several years before COVID-19.

        The game is not even malicious.

        Very interesting reaction from China.

        1. DrXym

          Re: Plague Inc. game banned in China

          Like most games it has received updates and seasonal content since release. But it hasn't received an official COVID-19 scenario. I'm not sure it makes any sense to ban it even if it did.

      2. keb

        Re: Plague Inc. game banned in China

        There are several COVID-19 scenarios in the Steam Workshop for Plague Inc. It is debatable how realistic the game's maps and pathogen models are however.

        1. DrXym

          Re: Plague Inc. game banned in China

          The biggest failing with the game is it doesn't model borders very well. I played one game recently where I infected France completely while Germany next door was totally uninfected. It would be virtually impossible in real life.

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: Plague Inc. game banned in China

            Game VS Simulation. PI is a game first. Nowhere does it pretend to be a simulation.

            1. Anonymous Coward
              Anonymous Coward

              Re: Plague Inc. game banned in China

              Thanks for the downvote! A mixture of simulation and game is still a game. VS say MS Flight Sim, which very few would call a "game".

              1. sanmigueelbeer

                Re: Plague Inc. game banned in China

                Thanks for the downvote!

                The Downvote Snipper is lurking among us -- ready to strike when no one is watching.

            2. DrXym

              Re: Plague Inc. game banned in China

              A game can still have rules that make sense without requiring ultra realism. The game simulates air and sea travel, but the land borders are not simulated very well.

  2. Steve Davies 3 Silver badge
    Holmes

    Is this really any different to what Facebook etc are doing?

    with their moves to limit the amount of Covid-19 related Fake News?

    1. Pascal Monett Silver badge

      Re: Is this really any different to what Facebook etc are doing?

      Yes, it is. Fake News should always be suppressed - and yes, that means that Fox News should be shut down. But the subject is games. Who is Apple to decide what kind of game is allowable when they allow fart apps by the dozens ?

      If you want to impose certain standards, you can't cherry pick.

      1. iron Silver badge

        Re: Is this really any different to what Facebook etc are doing?

        Google is doing exactly the same thing on Play.

        I'm not one to defend the business practices of either company but they are right to do this.

      2. Sir Runcible Spoon
        Megaphone

        Re: Is this really any different to what Facebook etc are doing?

        Wait, what? You can get fart apps!

        'scuse me, be right back.

        --> There's nothing funnier than a fart through a loudhailer

        1. Sgt_Oddball
          Coat

          Re: Is this really any different to what Facebook etc are doing?

          Yes there is, a fart machine audible over the English channel (from Dover pointed at the French, natch).

          1. Sir Runcible Spoon
            Thumb Up

            Re: Is this really any different to what Facebook etc are doing?

            Awesome, they've been farting in *our* general direction for far too long!

      3. Boris the Cockroach Silver badge
        Facepalm

        Re: Is this really any different to what Facebook etc are doing?

        Quote

        Fake News should always be suppressed

        I got an interesting message on facebork today saying a post I made about covid-19 breeding in toilet paper was fake.

        I was like WTF man.. I got the link from known spoof news site.....

  3. deadlockvictim

    Going Viral

    Are apps in iOS still allowed to go viral though?

  4. Quando

    Standard developer account (to publish apps (free or paid) on the App Store) is $99, the $299 is for an Enterprise account to be able to publish privately to employees without going through the review process.

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    There is an apple a day joke somewhere here but right now it alludes me.

  6. Julz

    Obvious

    Game to play when your family is in lock down:

    Some Text Here...

    With the advantage you don't have to use your virus laden phone.

  7. LoPath

    There's no joking with Alexa

    Here's a fun one.... ask Alexa "Tell me a coronavirus joke". Nothing, nada, silence.

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    The BBC Pandemic app is still available in Google's Playstore, despite the 'experiment' having been done a couple of years ago (so just another BBC app that does nothing!)

    (the associated programme is currently available on iPlayer)

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