SCRATCHED RECORD

Seeing gaming concepts defined shakily in a court of law has, broadly, been a source of comedy during Apple and Epic’s trial. But the mischaracterisation of Itch.io has made for difficult listening. The indie storefront was welcomed into the Epic Store as an app earlier this year, a fact Apple has sought to weaponise, suggesting that the presence of alternative app stores on iOS would open the door to depravity. The “so-called adult games” on Itch.io are, Apple claimed, “so offensive we cannot speak about them here.” It’s true that Itch.io has different moderation standards to both the App Store and Epic Store – but that’s precisely the quality that makes it a haven for marginalised developers. Apple’s own squeamishness about creative expression is one solid argument against its stranglehold on iOS.