After a fake app for MyEtherWallet.com rose to gain prominence on the iOS App Store last week, another scam has hit Apple's App Store in the form of a fake version of the popular side-scrolling shooter Cuphead, which is an Xbox One and PC exclusive (via TouchArcade). The app is still on the App Store as of writing and sells for $4.99, listing what seems to be Cuphead's actual developer -- StudioMDHR Entertainment Inc. -- as the app's seller, which is an incorrect description of the developer's real name: StudioMDHR.

When news of the fake app spread online this morning, StudioMDHR took to Twitter to confirm that this is not a real version of Cuphead and it will be working to contact Apple and remove the app as soon as possible.

fakecuphead

Cuphead launched on September 29 as an exclusive for Microsoft Windows PCs and the Xbox One console. StudioMDHR has hinted that it has "plans to support" other platforms in the future, but those plans appear to be focused on macOS and not iOS. For the fake app, the App Store listing appears to use real screenshots from the game, while a video shows off touch screen controls with a joystick and A and B buttons appearing as the inputs to control the main character.

Apple's app review process tends to be very strict, so it's again unclear how a fake app asking users for money made it past the company in the first place. For MyEtherWallet, that fraudulent app also charged people $4.99, making it as high as #3 on the App Store's Finance charts and existing on the store for over one week. Apple eventually removed the app from the App Store, which it is expected to do for Cuphead as well.

Update 7:32 a.m. PST: Apple has removed Cuphead from the iOS App Store.

Top Rated Comments

ArtOfWarfare Avatar
99 months ago
The Verge ('https://www.theverge.com/2017/12/18/16789870/apple-ios-fake-cuphead-game-app-store-studiomdhr') reported that it is playable, but expectedly janky: "You actually can play this version of Cuphead using touch controls, but it’s... a little off. The backgrounds look low-resolution, the animation is primitive. Some basic elements don’t seem adapted to a touchscreen: its menu screen still tells you to “push any button,” for instance."
That's interesting. So there's an actual iOS emulator capable of running the game then... that or someone managed to decompile the game for another platform and recompile it for iOS, which seems even less likely to me.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jonnysods Avatar
99 months ago
They merely lost time preparing this app. Apple will not be paying them a dime.

What's curious is how they got this app functioning enough to pass the review process? Is there an automated app making tool that they've developed? Can they use it to churn out dozens upon dozens of fake apps using their approach?

I honestly don't know how these people sleep at night, knowing that they are scum.
The more tech improves, the more ways jerks find to rip off unsuspecting people. Its a shame.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Solomani Avatar
99 months ago
It is not enough for Apple to remove/ban these fake apps on the App Store. Both Microsoft and Apple (with the help of the FBI) also need to go after these developers legally, for fraud as well as copyright/IP infringements.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Janichsan Avatar
99 months ago
That's interesting. So there's an actual iOS emulator capable of running the game then... that or someone managed to decompile the game for another platform and recompile it for iOS, which seems even less likely to me.
They probably just ripped the original's resources (graphics, music, etc.) - which isn't that difficult - and hastily slapped together a game resembling the original.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
69Mustang Avatar
99 months ago
Has Apple automated more of the approval process? If they have, I wonder if there's an approval "cheat" floating around the underbelly of the internet.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
lellis2k Avatar
99 months ago
Have they actually ported the game though or is it a completely fake app that does nothing on install?
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

apple tv 4k new orange

New Apple TV Expected Later This Year With These New Features

Saturday July 12, 2025 3:09 pm PDT by
A new Apple TV is expected to be released later this year, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the next Apple TV, according to rumors. Rumors Faster Wi-Fi Support The next Apple TV will be equipped with Apple's own combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. He said the chip supports ...
iphone 16 pro ghost hand

5 Reasons to Skip This Year's iPhone 17 Pro

Thursday July 10, 2025 4:54 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series in two months, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 16 New Features

Friday July 11, 2025 12:40 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are only two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:A redesigned Dynamic Island: It has been rumored that all iPhone 17 models will have a redesigned Dynamic Island interface — it might ...
Apple Watch Ultra 2 Complications

Apple Watch Ultra 3: What to Expect

Sunday July 13, 2025 10:30 am PDT by
The long wait for an Apple Watch Ultra 3 is nearly over, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the Apple Watch Ultra 3:Satellite connectivity for sending and receiving text messages when Wi-Fi and cellular coverage is unavailable 5G support, up from LTE on the Apple Watch Ultra 2 Likely a wide-angle OLED display that ...
iphone 16 pro pro max

iPhone 17 Pro Models With BOE Displays Will Be Sold in China Only

Thursday July 10, 2025 11:59 pm PDT by
iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models with displays made by BOE will be sold exclusively in China, according to a new report. Last week, it emerged that Chinese display manufacturer BOE was aggressively ramping up its OLED production capacity for future iPhone models as part of a plan to recapture a major role in Apple's supply chain. Now, tech news aggregator Jukan Choi reports...
top stories 2025 07 12

Top Stories: iPhone 17 Pro Rumors, iOS 26 Beta 3, and More

Saturday July 12, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
The iOS 26 public beta release is quickly approaching, while developers have recently gotten their hands on a third round of betas that has seen Apple continue to tweak features, design, and functionality. We're also continuing to hear rumors about the iPhone 17 lineup that is now just about right around the corner, while Apple's latest big-budget film appears to be taking off, so read on...