Apple Arcade

Apple Arcade

Developer	Apple
Type	Video game subscription service
Launch date	September 19, 2019; 5 years ago (2019-09-19)
Platform(s)	iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Mac, Apple TV, Apple Vision Pro
Operating system(s)	iOS 13 or later, iPadOS 13 or later, macOS Catalina or later, tvOS 13 or later, VisionOS
Status	Active
Pricing model	US$6.99 per month or US$49.99 annually
Website	Apple Arcade

Apple Arcade is a video game subscription service offered by Apple. It is available through a dedicated tab of the App Store on devices running iOS 13, VisionOS, tvOS 13, iPadOS 13, and macOS Catalina or later.^[1][2] The service launched on September 19, 2019.^[3]

It offers video games that exclude practices such as in-app purchases and advertisements. Most games on the service are indie games or previously existing mobile games.

All games available on the service are free of advertisements, in-app purchases, data tracking processes, and can be played without an internet connection.^[2] Subscribers can share access with up to five others through family sharing and the service can also be purchased through the Apple One bundle. Both standalone subscriptions and the Apple One bundle provide a free one-month trial and can be cancelled at any time.

Games on the service feature integration with Game Center and iCloud, allowing games to implement social features such as achievements and leaderboards, and to carry data between devices when linked to the same iCloud account. In addition to Apple's own products, many games are compatible with third-party controllers such as the DualShock 4, DualSense and Xbox Wireless Controller,^[1] with support for Joy-Con and the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller added with the release of iOS 16.^[4] By extension, controllers modeled after classic Nintendo and Sega gamepads for use with Nintendo Switch Online are also supported with iOS 16.^[5] On Apple TV, some Apple Arcade games require controllers outright.

Although some games on the service have watchOS support in game versions that are not on Apple Arcade, for instance Lifeline,^[6] no game versions that are included in Apple Arcade have watchOS support.

Apple Arcade was announced in March 2019 at an Apple Event showcasing their various upcoming services. It launched in September 2019 with 71 games, with Apple stating that the number would grow to over 100 by 2020.^[7] The apps support a minimum of 14 languages and can be accessed in over 150 countries.^[7] Notable titles included Sneaky Sasquatch, What the Golf, Sayonara Wild Hearts, Rayman Mini, Exit the Gungeon, and Lego Brawls.^[8]

Noted publishers and developers that have partnered with Apple to create Arcade games include Capcom, Sega, Bandai Namco Entertainment, Konami, Devolver Digital and Annapurna Interactive.^[3] Developers cannot release their Apple Arcade games on other mobile platforms due to exclusivity agreements, but are allowed to release their games on console or PC. Apple does not share game performance metrics with developers, only revealing whether the game has been accepted onto the Apple Arcade platform.^[9]

There are several categories within the platform that group together similar games based on their premise, genre, level of difficulty and more. Some categories include "adventure", "puzzle", and "education".^[2] There is also a category called "daily play suggestions", which offers a curated selection of games based on the consumer's download and gameplay history.^[2]

In June 2020, Bloomberg reported that Apple ended its contract with some future Arcade titles and shifted its strategy to seek games with stronger engagement to retain subscribers. It was further noted that Apple invited former Arcade partners to return and develop titles that would fit Apple's new strategy.^[10]

On April 2, 2021, Apple released a number of new games and announced that it would be bringing "Timeless Classics" and "App Store Greats" to the service. These are versions of pre-existing popular games already available on the App Store with in-app purchases and ads removed, denoted by a "+" at the end of the application name. Notable games added to the service include Fruit Ninja Classic+, Monument Valley+, and Threes!+.^[11][12] Unlike titles developed exclusively for Apple Arcade, these games are only available for iOS and iPadOS devices, and are largely intact versions of the original games without microtransactions.

Years after its launch, the service had been met with significant criticism for its engagement-based payment and removal of video games, rendering some exclusive titles to be lost media, as well as a perceived shift of focus to a family audience. Apple Arcade head Alex Rofman noted that while games with low player counts had to be removed as they could not "grow its player base month over month", they are still "an outlet for indies with creative, innovative ideas", contradicting reports of Apple's apparent ill treatment of independent game studios and cancellation of an unknown number of games that were in development.^[13][14]

According to CNET, "Every game platform rises or falls on whether it has games that people actually want to play. The breadth of Apple Arcade's catalog, bolstered by consistent new releases and updates, is impressive. There are a ton of different types of games -- mystery games, family games, puzzle games, nostalgic games and more."^[15]

In TechRadar, David Lumb wrote, "The hope is that Arcade games distinguish themselves, and the service as a whole, thanks to Apple assistance written into the platform. When developers sign their games up to be on Arcade, the company pledges an undefined level of financial support to give creators breathing room to make the games they want to make."^[16]

Referencing Lifewire, artist and programmer Tyrone Evans Clark told Lifewire, "I feel personally more attracted to the Apple Arcade because they have more of a variety pack of games to choose from," "Nintendo's Switch Game Store has a limited number of games, and they are mostly predominantly Nintendo brands such as anything relating to the characters Mario, Zelda, Pokémon, etc. Apple Arcade, on the other hand, has a little bit of everything for everyone."^[17]

Jordan Minor of PC Magazine wrote, "That's why, as someone who believes in mobile gaming's potential, Apple Arcade's launch was so exciting. For $5 per month, Apple gives you access to a fast-growing library of nearly 200 premium games to enjoy on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV with a real controller connected. None of these games compromise their design with garbage F2P mechanics, and that's so refreshing to see in this space."^[18]

In 2018, premium games on the App Store generated US$476 million while free-to-play games produced US$21.3 billion in revenue.^[9] Also, the number of premium apps available on the App Store fell from 21.6% of total App Store games in 2014 to 9.3% in 2018.^[9] Some analysts argue that this is a contributing factor to the development and founding of Apple Arcade, with the economic perspective that consumers will be more incentivized to pay a subscription fee to access a range of premium apps rather than purchasing individual premium games.^[19] Others have argued that Apple Arcade is another source of revenue for Apple and enables them to compete with other video-game subscription services like Google Play Pass and Xbox Game Pass.^[3]

Apple spent $500 million to launch Apple Arcade. Apple pays app developers an upfront fee to create video-games for the platform and corresponds with some developers in the development process.^[9]

While developer payouts were initially lucrative, it was reported that Apple Arcade's upfront payments and per-play bonus pool started to decline around October 2020, and has continued since.^[20]

This list is for video games on the service that are not "plus games", i.e. preexisting video games released on the service. All games are released on iOS, macOS and tvOS unless otherwise noted.

• Google Play Pass
• Xbox Game Pass
• GameClub

• Official website