Players of the Japanese mobile RPG Twinkle Star Knights have recently discovered that their favorite characters have become faceless silhouettes on iOS after Apple refused to approve several pieces of artwork it considered “potentially offensive to some users.”
To avoid being pulled from the App Store, the developers decided to cover the affected illustrations in black, leaving large portions of the cast as shadow figures.
The dispute began in August when an update for the fantasy-themed gacha game repeatedly failed Apple’s review process.
Apple flagged specific animations and illustrations, later suggesting that even artwork from the game’s 2023 launch might also need to be altered.
The publisher apologized to iPhone players and attempted to keep the game accessible by releasing a temporary cloud version while it adjusted the art.
That effort failed as well. Even after redesigning many female characters, Apple again declared the game to be “in violation of guidelines.”
After more than two months of revisions and rejections, the developers settled on an unusual solution. Artwork that passed Apple’s checks remains visible, while everything still being reviewed appears only as black silhouettes.
This fix allowed the game to remain downloadable, even though much of its once-vivid cast now appears obscured.
Such a step is uncommon in mobile gaming and has raised concern among players who see it as evidence of how platform owners can quietly steer creative content.
Apple’s broad interpretation of what might offend has long been a source of tension for developers seeking artistic freedom.
For the moment, Twinkle Star Knights is still available on both the App Store and Google Play, but the iOS version stands as a literal and symbolic reminder of how easily expression can be dimmed when gatekeepers control the light.
