Axie Infinity Origins Breaks Through Apple’s App Store Barrier, Now Accessible to Select iOS Users

Axie Infinity Origins, the blockchain-based, play-to-earn (P2E) game, has successfully cleared Apple’s rigorous App Store review process and the game’s app is now available for Apple iOS users. Sky Mavis, the creator behind Axie Infinity, has adopted a strategic approach by rolling out the game’s app in stages, with targeted release plans for various Latin American and Asian countries.

Following the phased release on the Google Play Store, Axie Infinity Origins is now available for Apple iOS users in select countries. The game’s developer, Sky Mavis, announced the launch of the iOS version on Wednesday. “Origins has passed review with Apple and is now available on the App Store,” Sky Mavis said. “We believe this is the first time that Apple has agreed to make an externally-purchased NFT usable on the App Store,” the team added.

The blockchain-based game that leverages non-fungible token (NFT) assets, Axie Infinity, was launched by the Vietnamese game studio in 2018. To date, the Axie Infinity marketplace has recorded $4.27 billion in total NFT sales. Initially, Sky Mavis announced that the Origins application was made available to Android users via the Google Play Store in Malaysia. The Apple iOS release will also be available in select countries.

“If you live in Argentina, Colombia, Peru, Mexico, Venezuela, Indonesia, Malaysia, or Vietnam, download Origins for iOS from the App Store,” Sky Mavis disclosed on Wednesday.

Apple’s App Store guidelines are stricter compared to Google’s rules. In recent years, Apple has restricted several blockchain-based apps, specifically targeting NFT platforms. For example, Daily Apps released an NFT application called Sticky, which initially remained on the App Store. However, the app, along with several others, was later removed from the store.

Other NFT applications, such as Opensea’s App, are permitted to display NFTs to users, but trading functionality is disabled. Some believe these restrictions on NFT apps are linked to Apple’s requirement for a 30% share in all App Store sales. Regarding the Axie Infinity Origins app, Sky Mavis clarified that certain reward features in the game will only be accessible through the desktop or Android APK versions.

“Players will continue to earn SLP through gameplay, but will not be able to claim these rewards in-app,” Sky Mavis explained regarding the recent Apple release.

What are your thoughts on the expansion of Axie Infinity Origins to Apple’s App Store? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.