Platform policy tightens every year and 2026 is no exception. Rather than restating the announcements line by line, this article groups the changes that most affect Chinese developers going through store review, and ends with a preparation checklist. Always confirm the exact terms on the official App Store and Google Play pages; we update this article as things change.
Privacy labels and data declarations
App Store privacy labels and the Google Play Data safety form both require an accurate declaration of the data your app and its SDKs collect and why. The most common rejection reason is not the game itself: it is an attribution or analytics SDK collecting data that was never declared, or a privacy policy link that does not open outside China.
Preparation: list every third-party SDK with what it collects, confirm the privacy policy text with legal, and make sure the privacy policy and terms exist in English and are hosted on a domain reachable outside China.
Age ratings and content review
Google Play generates regional ratings through the IARC questionnaire; the App Store has its own age-rating questionnaire. For SLGs the usual trouble spots are depictions of war and violence, and simulated gambling elements such as wheels and lotteries. Declare them accurately or the rating, featuring eligibility and in serious cases the listing itself are at risk. Several European markets add requirements for content aimed at minors and for in-app purchase prompts.
Payment compliance and alternative payments
Since the EU Digital Markets Act, Apple and Google allow alternative payments and external purchase links in the EU, under complex conditions and with different fee structures. For most Chinese developers our advice is to launch on platform billing first and evaluate alternative payments only once revenue is stable.
An often-missed item is the EU trader declaration: developers offering paid content must submit and verify contact details in the developer console, or the app becomes invisible in EU storefronts.
Developer account and entity requirements
Apple organization accounts need a D-U-N-S number and a verified legal entity; Google requires identity verification for all developers, and newly registered personal accounts must pass a closed test before a production release. Publishing under an overseas entity and avoiding linked accounts is one of the practical reasons many Chinese developers work with a publisher.
What it means for store submission, with a checklist
- SDK inventory and data declarations (privacy labels, Data safety).
- Privacy policy and terms in Chinese and English, hosted on a domain reachable outside China.
- Age-rating questionnaires pre-filled, flagging war, violence and simulated gambling.
- EU trader information and contact details.
- Written agreement on publishing entity, account ownership and future transfer.
- Localized store assets: screenshots, video, description.
Key takeaways
- Most rejections come from SDK data declarations and privacy policies, not game content.
- War and simulated-gambling elements must be rated accurately.
- EU: hold off on alternative payments, but complete the trader declaration.
- Account and entity rules keep tightening; publishing under an overseas entity is safer.
- Turn compliance into a checklist maintained with every build.
In our publishing partnerships, store submission and compliance are on us. Developers provide the SDK inventory and the build; we handle the platforms.
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