Subscriptions seem to be all the rage these days, and has been rumored since earlier this year Apple wants to get in on that action with mobile gaming. Today at their “It’s Show Time" event at the Apple Park campus, they formally announced that new gaming subscription service, called Apple Arcade. Apple touts that the App Store is visited by more than half a billion people each week, and that Games are the most popular category. Of course, this leads them to tout that iOS is the “largest gaming platform in the world." They also explain the difference between free to play games and paid games, and that paid games haven’t been as successful as they can be because they “aren’t as easy to find." Unless you visit TouchArcade, amirite?
Apple Arcade will initially include more than 100 premium games both new and existing, with new games being added routinely. All games will be able to be played across iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV and none of the games will require any online connectivity to play. Also no ads, no in-app purchases at all in any of the games. Some of the games teased include Where Cards Fall which we have covered extensively in the past, a brand new game called Fantasian from legendary creator of Final Fantasy Hironobu Sakaguchi, Overland from Canabalt creator Adam Saltsman which we’ve also covered many times over the years, and Oceanhorn 2 which I would imagine doesn’t need any introduction.
This is definitely a bold move from Apple and at least on paper it sounds like it will be fantastic. I’ve wished for years that they would make a bigger push towards promoting premium gaming experiences. However, I’m also one of those people who hasn’t quite warmed up to the subscription model for everything. I still load the digital music that I own onto my phone, even though I have an Apple Music subscription. I’m weird like that. I’m wondering if it’ll be the same with Apple Arcade. I really like “owning" my own games individually, so I’m really curious how the subscription model will work and what it will allow you to do. Can you just freely download any of the games in Apple Arcade to your device? Or do you have to go through the App Store’s special Apple Arcade tab each time you want to launch a game? Will you be able to buy any of these games the normal one-off way or will they ONLY be available to people who subscribe? Those are just a couple of questions that come to my mind, but I’m sure there will be more, and unfortunately Apple hasn’t announced any pricing or availability details for Apple Arcade other than it will be coming this fall.
Can Apple save premium gaming on the App Store by way of the subscription model? In a market where it’s tough to get many people to pay even 99¢ for something, will those people even be willing to pay a monthly fee? What do you think about Apple Arcade? We’ll obviously be following this one really closely and hopefully more details will be revealed ahead of Apple Arcade’s fall launch.
Update: Here’s the Apple Arcade trailer.
Yeah, I'll be interested to see if people who won't buy a cheap premium app will actually pay ten times as much per month to play many games... or if they'll just stick to the F2P stuff. As a mostly premium gamer, I don't even have enough time to play all of my games. So, I'm not sure if this is for me.
The games they showed are the kind of things I love most about iOS games ... the issue with the huge "all you can eat" buffet is finding enough time to play as much as you want. I'll subscribe to support the service -- just as everyone should join the TouchArcade Patreon -- but I have a feeling I'm not a typical user.
Personally, I’m not down with any of this ‘subscription’ model crap! But that’s just me! I prefer to own my games individually, paying as I go. I will never pay into this model no matter what they try to offer, period! I wish it would just go away TBH. 😉
Own a Switch? Subscribe to The Nintendo Online App? Probably works just like that.
Games are available as long as you pay the subscription fee. Do what you want with them or ignore them. Simple and efficient.
Underrated post.
All though unlike with the Switch and Nintendo Online the games won't be 30+ years old. So probably closer to Xbox Game Pass just without the AAA titles.
Its time to beat DS, 3DS and Switch reign!
Brings this Apple, its is what i always wanted!
I will pay for sure, i love premium games with not ads and not microtransaction
bring it on! its time for premium games to take over the mobile gaming scene again!
I wouldn't pay $3.99 every month to keep playing Oceanhorn.
The best thing about premium games is not having to pay monthly for them.
I like it. It's a novel approach, but as TA has repeatedly stated the normal app store model is a broken distribution/awareness model for premium games. Day 1 sub for me, even at a price as high as $9.99 per month (and they will probably launch with one month free trial, just like Apple Music). My guess is that price, or bundled with Apple Music for $14.99 (or family bundle for both at $19.99).
I agree. The reason we’re not seeing more premium games on the AppStore isn’t because the devices can’t handle making near console level titles. It’s simply because it’s too risky to put a bunch of money behind a premium game that may or may not even sell since most mobile players won’t even spend 99 cents on a game (let alone $10 or more for a FAR better gaming experience). I think this will give developers the foundation needed in order to FINALLY move mobile gaming forward. I’m really excited to see where this goes! 😃