Apple Pulls the Plug on Indie Gem, Leaving Devs Scratching Their Heads (and Wallets)
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
Apple's pulling *Wheels of Aurelia* from the App Store, citing 'obsolescence,' leaving the indie studio and others wondering what's next, and if their apps will simply vanish from the App store for no apparent reason. Santa Ragione is making the game free until the delisting.
Right, so Apple's at it again, apparently deciding that some games are just too… *old* for their precious App Store. This time, it's Santa Ragione, the folks behind quirky titles like *Saturnalia* and *Mirror Moon EP*, who are feeling the sting. According to a statement given to Eurogamer, their 2016 visual novel, *Wheels of Aurelia*, is getting the boot on July 25th. And the reason? Well, that's the million-dollar question, innit?
Apparently, Apple's citing some "policy to remove apps deemed 'obsolete' or 'outdated'" as the culprit. But here's the kicker: Santa Ragione co-founder Pietro Righi Riva insists the game is still fully functional and compliant. No clear justification, despite their best attempts to get one. Sounds familiar? It's giving me strong 'corporate overlord flexing' vibes.
Riva reckons these forced updates are a proper financial burden for indie devs, impacting their ability to keep existing projects alive and, you know, actually create new stuff. He makes a solid point, doesn't he? It's like telling a painter they need to repaint the Mona Lisa every year just because… well, because Apple says so. Absurd!
And it gets better. Riva's calling out Apple's "dominant position in digital distribution", saying it highlights the importance of having diverse ecosystems. He even gives a shout-out to the EU's efforts to create a fairer digital marketplace. Ouch. You can almost hear Tim Cook choking on his organic kale smoothie.
Of course, Apple's not exactly thrilled about the EU's meddling, especially that €500m fine they copped for restricting how app developers use alternative payment methods. But, like a stubborn goblin, they are appealing.
Look, Santa Ragione isn't alone in their frustrations. We've heard horror stories from other devs who feel like they're stuck in an "abusive relationship" with Apple. Epic Games, the *Fortnite* mob, has been battling Apple in court for ages over their app store practices. Remember that whole kerfuffle back in 2020? Good times, good times (for legal eagles, at least).
So, what's Santa Ragione doing? They're making *Wheels of Aurelia* free on the App Store until it gets Thanos-snapped out of existence on July 25th. A narrative road trip set in 70s Italy? Sounds like a nice way to go out, doesn't it? Give it a whirl before it disappears into the digital ether.
It's a pity really. It's always disappointing to see a piece of art, digital or otherwise, simply vanish because some algorithm deems it unworthy. Let's hope this doesn't become the norm, eh?
Tags: indie games, apple, app store, game development, digital distribution
Original article: Eurogamer