Apple is once again under investigation, this time by the Department of Justice American due to an alleged violation of antitrust rules. At the center of the investigation this time there would be Roblox, a video game that emerged in the legal case against Epic Games and that Apple may have favored over other software in the App Store.
Apple ha favorito Roblox?
It is no coincidence that it is the name of Roblox to be investigated in connection with Apple’s conduct. The video game had already emerged in the context of the case against Epic, given that the latter software had cited it as an example of a platform within which it is possible to access other games, complete with a monetization system and, consequently not in line with Apple’s guidelines.
In its defense, Apple said it considers Roblox not a real game, but an experience, as this definition would fit much better with the way the software in question has evolved over time. This is no small distinction, as in this way the apple company is trying to make Roblox a kind of big binder and not a video game in the true sense of the term.
In fact, if Roblox falls into the second case, Apple should apply all its appropriate policies, which require developers to publish individually on App Store all the games present in any catalog, without the possibility of fragmenting them through external monetization tools.
At the moment, therefore, it is not clear whether it is a simple regulatory vacuum that came to light thanks to the action of Epic Games or if Apple has actually managed to favor Roblox within its App Store, which would constitute unfair competition. At the moment the Justice Department is still collecting evidence, so it is likely that we will know more in the coming days.