Apple is the latest tech giant to jump into gaming head first. Just one week after Google unveiled its Stadia streaming service, Apple revealed the Apple Arcade game subscription service.
Unlike Stadia – which requires a speedy internet connection to stream games to existing phones, tablets, and other supported devices – the Apple Arcade requires users to download games to an Apple-made device, such as the iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple TV.
Also unlike Google’s GDC presentation last week, Apple is already highlighting games. They say that the service will feature “over 100 new and exclusive games” from companies like Sega, Bossa Studios, Cartoon Network, Klei Entertainment, Konami, LEGO, and Mistwalker. They showed off a number of those games, including exclusives, in the video below:
While a price for the service has not yet been announced, Apple is saying that subscribers will have unlimited access to all of the games in the Apple Arcade library without any ads or additional purchases required.
“The App Store is the world’s biggest and most successful game platform. Now we are going to take games even further with Apple Arcade, the first game subscription service for mobile, desktop and the living room,” says Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing.
More details on the Apple Arcade are expected in the weeks leading up to E3.
