Apple has announced its own game subscription service, which some are calling a response to Google Stadia and other cloud and subscription-based game services. Dubbed Apple Arcade, this new service is designed to offer what Apple is describing as a curated collection of games.
According to Apple’s Ann Thai, this service will grant subscribers access to over 100 new titles, including games that won’t be available anywhere else. While the full list of games that will be available as part of this service hasn’t been revealed yet, it has been confirmed that it will include titles from the likes of Hironobu Sakaguchi (creator of the Final Fantasy franchise), and developers like Konami, Platinum Games, Sumo Digital, and dozens of other partners that Apple mentioned during the event as well as more partners which will (theoretically) be added later.
Much like Google Stadia, Apple Arcade will work across multiple devices. The catch, as you probably guessed, is that it will only work on Apple devices like the Apple TV, the iPhone, the iPad, and Mac. While these games will not be streamable from the cloud (it’s actually somewhat similar to Xbox Game Pass), it will include a family sharing option as part of the price of the service and will also allow you to play all included games offline. The latter is made possible through the ability to download all games included with the service.
This is quite an interesting announcement for several reasons. While this isn’t a direct competitor to Google Stadia in terms of the service’s functionality, it is in the sense that both services represent the efforts of two tech giants who are trying to break into the games service industry in a big way. It also represents one of the first notable competitors to what Microsoft offers via Game Pass. Apple jumping on that particular bandwagon makes us all the more confident that Game Pass really is Microsoft’s future, and makes us that much more interested to see what Microsoft has in store with Project xCloud.
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Here is everything else we know about Apple Arcade:
Apple Arcade Release Date
Apple Arcade will be available in over 150 countries starting on September 19. It will be available for iPhone, iPads, Apple TV, and Macs.
Apple Arcade Price
Apple Arcade will offer a family subscription plan for $4.99 a month. There will also be a one month free trial period for new subscribers.
Apple Arcade Games
Apple has stated that Apple Arcade will allow subscribers to access over 100 exclusive games. Studios such as Konami, Capcom, Ustwo, and Snowman will all contribute games to the service. Here are some of the currently known games coming to the service.
ChuChu Rocket! Universe
Exit The Gungeon
Frogger In Toy Town
Overland
Pac-Man Party Royale
Projection: First Light
Rayman Mini
Shantae and the Seven Sirens
Shinsekai: Into the Depths
Skate City
Super Impossible Road
The Bradwell Conspiracy
The Enchanted World
Various Daylife
Apple Arcade Trailer
Here’s the debut trailer for the Apple Arcade service:
Matthew Byrd is a staff writer for Den of Geek. He spends most of his days trying to pitch deep-dive analytical pieces about Killer Klowns From Outer Space to an increasingly perturbed series of editors. You can read more of his work here or find him on Twitter at @SilverTuna014.