Apple Backs Down, Lists Grand Theft Trump, Download Here.

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Apple has approved listing the election simulator Grand Theft Trump on the App Store. The Tech Giant blocked the game for weeks but relented after multiple appeals from the creator, Matze Software, and television stories critical of their decision.

Grand Theft Trump (GTT) is a light-hearted, satirical romp that lets gamers help a cartoon Donald Trump get to the white house from south Florida. To get there, you must fend off his biggest foes with a tweet cannon which blasts real “mean” Tweets from the former president. He will battle with corrupt judges, porn stars the mainstream media and the QAnon shawman on his adventure to the white house. Players can unlock power ups which call in Trump’s favorite media figures to create an invincibility shield around him. All text, audio and language in the app are sourced quotes and social media from Trump himself. In a head-scratching move that defies basic common sense, Apple said the game was somehow, “defamatory” and refused to list the game.

Google promptly approved GTT for the Play Store, where it enjoys a 5-star rating. 

“Apple destroys free markets and routinely hurts developers, small businesses, and ultimately, consumers,” said CEO John Matze. “While I am glad Apple relented in our case, their nonsensical, opaque approval process consumed valuable staff resources and came with a steep opportunity cost as we try to share our game during the finite election window.

“Fortunately, Matze Software had the resources to fight the approval process and relationships to shine some light on our situation. Others may not be so fortunate. Apple blocks 2 million apps from their store every year, and that unilateral decision can crush entrepreneurs and smaller dev shops. Consumers and lawmakers must demand transparency and accountability from Apple to protect fair and open competition in the marketplace.”

This is not Mr. Matze’s first dust-up with Apple. In 2021, Apple selectively removed Parler, the social media site he founded, from the App Store after it hit #1 on the platform and was scapegoated for the January 6th riot at the U.S. Capitol. John is a consistent and vocal critique of Apple’s policies, calling them anti-competitive, hypocritical, and anti-consumer. In July 2016 Apple blocked Matze’s political satire game about Hilary Clinton before ultimately facing public pressure and changing their position. 

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