Post by @bitinn@mastodon.gamedev.place

Earlier in this thread 2 posts

@bitinn@mastodon.gamedev.place on mastodon.gamedev.place

Upgrading to macOS Tahoe also made me realize the new “Games” app is actually a Trojan horse to give Apple the best analytics for free, above all mobile competitors:

- It tracks gameplay sessions not just from Apple Arcade and iOS store, but also all Steam games and macOS apps!

- More importantly, you agree to this AS SOON AS YOU OPEN THE APP, the only way to keep Apple from tracking your game sessions is to NOT USE THE APP AT ALL.

@bitinn@mastodon.gamedev.place on mastodon.gamedev.place

If you never visit the Games app settings on iOS or macOS, you won’t realize this is there. Reset identifier is a big give away. Apple spent years disrupting mobile analytics industry and now we give Apple the same data for free.

David Frank @bitinn@mastodon.gamedev.place

· 6mo ago

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Conversation (4)

David Frank

@bitinn@mastodon.gamedev.place · Apr 25

These are the games listed by "Games" app on my macOS Tahoe, as you can see, it lists games in my Steam library, fullscreen apps that triggers game mode accidentally (mpv), as well as just a random demo I built locally from GodotEngine...

David Frank

@bitinn@mastodon.gamedev.place · Apr 25

Thread reply

And all these are tracked as soon as you open 'Games' app and click 'Continue' on the first screen, no other actions or permissions are needed.

Igigog

@Igigog@mastodon.gamedev.place · Apr 25

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@bitinn@mastodon.gamedev.place as soon as I see the word "personalized" I know what is going on. What a time to be alive...

David Frank

@bitinn@mastodon.gamedev.place · Apr 25

Thread reply

By the way I know the tracking is done across platforms because the toggle to "Combine Gaming Activity" are synced from macOS to iOS, and vice verse.