Apple Says iPhone Games Can Offer Redemption Codes Later This Year - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

Apple Says iPhone Games Can Offer Redemption Codes Later This Year

Apple this week announced that App Store app developers will be able to offer redemption codes for all types of in-app purchases starting later this year.

Mac App Store General Feature
In 2020, Apple introduced the ability for developers to offer customers unique, alphanumeric codes that they can redeem in the App Store for free or discounted auto-renewable subscriptions. Later this year, Apple will be allowing developers to offer these codes for any in-app purchases, including consumable items like in-game currency.

Apple previously said that developers can offer customers these one-time codes digitally, such as through an email, or offline at physical events. For example, the team behind Clash of Clans could promote the game at a convention by offering customers who walk by their booth a card with a redemption code for a free or discounted Sack of Gems.

Popular Stories

Apple AirPort Routers

Apple Dropping AirPort Utility From the App Store With iOS 27

Monday June 22, 2026 12:40 pm PDT by
Apple is planning to remove the AirPort Utility app from the App Store in the near future, according to the release notes for iOS 27 beta 2. The app is no longer fully supported in iOS 27, and Apple warns that it is not guaranteed to work. AirPort Utility will no longer be available for new downloads from the App Store. If you previously downloaded the app, you can still re-download it. When ...
iOS App Store General Feature Black

Apple Faces New App Store Complaint From Chinese Developers

Tuesday June 23, 2026 8:51 am PDT by
A group of 48 China-based iOS developers have filed an antitrust complaint against Apple with the country's market regulator over the App Store's commission rates, the South China Morning Post reports. The developers sent an open letter to China's State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR), alleging that Apple failed to deliver on a promise to offer the lowest commission rate to the...
Apple Acquires Award Winning App Play Feature

Apple Acquires Award-Winning App 'Play'

Monday June 29, 2026 7:39 am PDT by
In February, Apple notified the European Commission that it would be acquiring certain assets from and have the right to hire certain employees from Rabbit 3 Times, the company behind the award-winning app design tool Play. The notification was published on the European Commission's website this week, following a four-month waiting period. Play was a Mac and iPhone app that allowed designers ...

Top Rated Comments

AppliedMicro Avatar
15 months ago
Unless I’m missing something (?), this looks like a way to promote Apple’s In-App Purchasing system.
…over other alternative purchasing options for digital items or subscriptions?

In other words: Apple taking small baby steps, slowly beginning to… well, actually compete (on in-app purchases)?
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Sophisticatednut Avatar
15 months ago

Unless I’m missing something (?), this looks like a way to promote Apple’s In-App Purchasing system.
…over other alternative purchasing options for digital items or subscriptions?

In other words: Apple taking small baby steps, slowly beginning to… well, actually compete (on in-app purchases)?
So is this another Regulatory impact where the giant starts to innovate to stay competitive. Or did Apple just decide 10 years after everyone else to implement a very sought after function?

Or is the fact steam is now Apple ARM native is suddenly a large competitive threat for the majority of the iOS AppStore market revenue 🤔
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
15 months ago
It is indeed a good change though it could have been implemented back in 2020 itself. Anyway good to see this happening now.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sw1tcher Avatar
15 months ago

Apple previously said that developers can offer customers these one-time codes digitally, such as through an email, or offline at physical events. For example, the team behind Clash of Clans could promote the game at a convention by offering customers who walk by their booth a card with a redemption code for a free or discounted Sack of Gems.
I guess it'd be cool to be able to buy a redeemable code for a discounted Sack of Gems at a convention. Is Apple going to want a 30% cut from these offline convention sales and will app developers at their convention booth be required to only accept payments through, I don't know, Apple Pay?
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
matthew12 Avatar
15 months ago
That’s odd it’s only explicitly allowed now. Stuff from Hoyoverse like Genshin Impact and Honkai Star Rail have been doing this for years now.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
15 months ago
Do not redeem the cards!!!
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)