Apple Arcade Frustrations Persist for Game Developers

[jdmachogg]

The payment delay doesn't surprise me. Apple is possibly one of the slowest corporations I've ever worked with. It takes them years to negotiate contracts (and we're not talking big money here), and 6 months to 12 months to pay anything.

 

[sublunar]

I’d go the other way. Apple TV+ is a great app in terms of UX. Perhaps, in some aspects, the best streaming app there is. But the service lacks enough compelling content because Apple insists on producing all its own shows, and the quality is hit and miss.

So I’d argue the solution is for Apple to start buying in content from other producers, in addition to their own exclusives. After all, even Disney+ carries a lot of non-Disney content to bulk up their appeal.

The extra Disney plus content is from the likes of Fox (who they bought), the whole platform is under the same roof.

the idea that AppleTV+ produces their own content exclusively for the platform has meant it’s building a small but critically recognised library of content.

that said, they did try and buy A24 previously and were rebuffed, that studio is making some very interesting award winning content.

in a gaming context they’d need to do a Microsoft and buy a studio (in their case Bungie) to make a flagship game to be (literally) a Halo. See what they did there?

but if they were instead hoping for a developer to create an Apple Halo product they’d be best off not treating them like second class citizens as some of the comments in here have hinted at. Secrecy in service to the ‘big surprise’ is one thing but dropping stuff out of the blue or announcing new stuff at WWDC and expecting product mere months later while treating their devs badly isn’t great.

they need an in-house AAA dev group who are fully aware of upcoming changes and can create content for demos As well as working on the Apple Halo flagship game.

 

[AbSoluTc]

We have Apple One or whatever the package is called since it's cheaper (for now) that way. Occasionally, maybe once a year I will see what's in Apple Arcade. I always end up never sticking with anything. A few reasons why but the main one is ... they are all the same games. Running games, make x or o blocks/candy/coins/plants/etc disappear, swipe/chop/cut, race or some other dumb game that has been reskinned and rehashed to death. None of them have staying power. Most games I don't play anymore due to the micro transactions. They all want my money and I'm not doing it.

I'll stick with real games on my PC, PS5 or Switch. Ones I paid for and don't constantly want more money from me.

 

[fanarchist]

The problem isn't Apple Arcade, it's whoever is in charge of the digital platforms at the company. Do you know who that is? I do. Not being judgmental but Eddie Cue has never sold me as a fit leader within Apple. The App Store is defunct, how is there no subscription model for standard apps yet? This problem with poor customer service for Apple Arcade shows how stinky that division at Apple is.

--Edit: I think Eddie Cue is a wiz at the Music, and maybe how well Apple TV is doing, but it was a bad move to make him chief of all services. They should split that department up.