Apple has made rule changes to its App Store guidelines, which could have a big impact on Microsoft and Google's plans to offer cloud gaming services. The rule changes appear more favorable to Microsoft xCloud and Google Stadia, but Microsoft has already issued a statement saying the requirements make for "a bad experience for customers."

Apple's new guidelines explicitly say that game streaming services are allowed. However, those games would need to be downloaded from the App Store individually. Apple will allow providers to have a "catalog" app that manages these downloads, but each game would have to be its own distinct listing.

That would appear to rule out cloud gaming, as both xCloud and Stadia rely on a model in which you don't download individual games at all. Instead, the games stream through the cloud, similar to watching a movie on Netflix--which Apple allows through its App Store, of course.