Dodgy Cuphead knock-off releases on iOS, before being pulled by Apple

Yesterday had a Christmas miracle of sorts as it appeared Studio MDHR had stealth-released an iOS version of their title Cuphead to Apple’s App Store on Monday.

Sadly the only gift to be found was coal, as Cuphead’s iOS release was a glitchy unauthorised port that no-one from Studio MDHR had authorised or even seen before it ended up on the App Store for $5.

MDHR referred to the release as a "scam", and Apple pulled the game just a few hours after its appearance, which people realised the ruse. Not that it was particularly well hidden. This is the game repackaged with basic virtual controls with visuals beset by glitches and artifacts.

There had been a series of App Store scams in recent years where developers have ripped off a popular game and repackaged it for the iOS. This is the most high profile case, as Cuphead is an award-winning shooter, and it could serve to shine a spotlight on the dodgy practice, and Apple’s lax security in allowing clones to get through their certification process unchallenged.

This process will need to change to ensure some protection for developers and some confidence for consumers, and this knock-off Cuphead could go some way in motivating Apple to take action.