Apple Says iPhone Games Can Offer Redemption Codes Later This Year

Friday June 13, 2025 12:23 pm PDT by Joe Rossignol

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.

Tag: App Store

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Top Rated Comments

AppliedMicro

18 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

18 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)

svish

18 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

18 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)