Delta’s Game Emulator Shifts to Patreon Model After Changes in US App Store Policies

Delta, a gaming emulator, is seizing an opportunity presented by a recent court decision regarding Apple’s App Store by directing users to its Patreon membership page. An update sanctioned for the U.S. App Store allows Delta users to link directly to Patreon from within the app, bypassing Apple’s share of subscription fees.

This development follows a court ruling that requires Apple to fully permit external purchases in its U.S. App Store, stemming from a protracted legal dispute with Epic Games, the developer of Fortnite. While Apple emerged victorious in many aspects of the antitrust case, a judge determined that the company had not sufficiently adhered to the court’s directives concerning in-app purchases.

Previously, Apple regulated which apps could link to external sites and enforced warning screens to deter users from opting for alternative payment systems while taking a commission of 27% on those web transactions, down from its standard 30%.

In the wake of Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers’ ruling regarding Apple’s failure to comply with her injunction, the company updated its App Store policies in the U.S. This modification allows companies like Spotify, Amazon Kindle, and Patreon to update their iOS applications to include links to their platforms, allowing users to pay directly without relying on Apple’s in-app purchase methods.

This transition benefits larger enterprises that can retain a higher percentage of their earnings while demonstrating how the ruling opens avenues for innovative monetization strategies for mobile applications, as illustrated by Delta’s recent update.

This adjustment could give the App Store a much-needed lift as independent app developers face difficulties, particularly with Apple’s habit of cloning successful third-party applications. Smaller developers, who often struggle to succeed after paying a hefty 30% commission to Apple, may now keep more of their revenue due to improved support for web payments.

In Delta’s updated emulator app, users can tap “Join our Patreon” from the Settings menu, allowing them to subscribe to a $3 monthly membership that unlocks exclusive features and benefits.

The web page opens within the app, allowing users to link their Patreon accounts and choose a membership tier, either monthly or annual. Previously, users could only link to their Patreon accounts but could not subscribe directly through the app.

“We can now mention our Patreon without losing 27% of donations to Apple,” remarked Delta creator Riley Testut on social media, noting the end of mandatory warning screens that dissuaded users from choosing external payment methods.

Although Delta still offers Apple’s in-app purchase option, it is now tucked away in an “Alternative Payment Methods” section in the Settings, an option that many users might overlook.

This strategy of concealing user-friendly options within complex menus has been a long-standing practice of Apple.

For instance, to deactivate Apple’s personalized ads—similar to the enforced “Do Not Track” prompt for applications—users must dive into their iOS Settings, navigate to Privacy & Security, scroll to the end of the page, select Apple Advertising, and toggle off Personalized Ads. Similarly, erasing app usage data for personalized App Store recommendations requires going to Settings > Apps > App Store, scrolling to the bottom, selecting Personalized Recommendations, and hitting Clear App Usage Data on the next screen.

Is Apple truly in a position to criticize developers for adopting its own strategies?

With Delta’s application successfully passing Apple’s App Review, it’s reasonable to expect a wave of other applications supported by Patreon in the near future.