Before the iPhone and the App Store came along, games did not have much of a place on Apple hardware. Some half-hearted attempts were made to attract developers, but for the most part, Cupertino seemed almost content to let Redmond corner the PC gaming marketplace.
So you'd think that, given how video games have become such a vital component of the iPhone and iPad economies, that they'd have a better appreciation of gaming as whole. Though as Venture Beat explains, that most definitely is not the case.
Basically, Apple doesn't believe that games should tackle important topics. Such an assessment hails from the submission guidelines for all developers who wish to submit content to the App Store. Frankly, it shows a serious degree of disdain for both games themselves and those who play them:
"We view apps different than books or songs, which we do not curate. If you want to criticize a religion, write a book. If you want to describe sex, write a book or a song, or create a medical app. It can get complicated, but we have decided to not allow certain kinds of content in the App Store."
Such an attitude might explain why Apple recently reject a game that explores the Syrian civil war; they simply don't think games are a worthy enough medium to explore such a complex topic.
Apple can basically do what Apple wants to do; they more or less own the smart phone economy. Which makes their close-minded attitude all the more abhorrent. And this coming form a life-long, diehard Apple fan.
Though oddly enough (or maybe not), one person who somewhat defends Apple’s policy is Jonathan Blow, creator of Braid, and a man who is never afraid of being outspoken:
"I think [Apple has] the wrong attitude about games, but ultimately [this] is game developers’ fault, not Apple’s… Apple is treating games as shallow commercial entertainment experiences because they have been taught by game developers that that is what games are."
