Apple Arcade Gains Four New Games

[nottorp]

I'm shocked that whoever handles Apple Arcade has heard of Arkanoid and Space Invaders. Branded offerings like the Wheel of Fortune thing look to be more like Apple's specialty.

I wonder, who heads Apple Arcade and have they ever played a game that's not a TV show offshoot and not a mobile grinder?

 

[Chungry]

Because Apple never has, nor ever will, get gaming.

Amen. Ive said this around here for a while- but I think it’s informed by being a “gamer” so I can understand the disconnect.

 

[Chungry]

If the Switch had internet & phone capabilities you might have a point. As it is the iPhone doesn't hold a candle to the Switch.

Quantity of games is on Apple's side, although it's mostly mobile drek with a couple decade-old ports mixed in.

Quality of games is where the Switch puts the iPhone to shame. Nintendo's own ip like Mario & Zelda, third-party ip like Overwatch 2, Fortnite, Star Wars, Story of Seasons, Resident Evil and ofc Switch Online for the retro fix.

Apple for whatever reasons have never got gaming or the reasons behind what makes it so popular.

There's also one giant elephant in the room and that's the fact that like 95% of the die-hard gamers out there want absolutely nothing to do with anything Apple or as little as Apple as they can get away with. It's one of the main reasons developers don't day-&-date their titles with Windows & MacOS - the playerbase and more importantly the money - just isn't there to justify the costs of creating a game for both at the same time.

Astute take. Apple doesn’t get gaming because they don’t see it as an art form. Take McDonald’s and a meal at a nice restaurant -both serve you food. But the difference in skill, artistry and quality is notable. Apple doesn’t get that they offer a McDonald’s experience in terms of games.

Also see: Nintendo releasing their own, lovely Music app to experience the incredible music they put into games- letting you loop tracks etc. it’s just -chefs kiss-

 

[Analog Kid]

Apple could solve it by jumpstarting enough exclusives

If that's what you want, then Apple needs to stop selling to the EU.

 

[Chungry]

You bring up a very interesting point, where is the upside for Apple, as in, there can't be that much more devices they can sell than they aren't already.

But, in the console gaming market, the profits have never being in the hardware, but in the content, Nintendo / Microsoft / Sony get a share of everything sold on their digital storefronts.

One could argue, if Apple has invested (and probably sunk) so much money on the build up of Apple TV+, why wouldn't they do the same on a potentially more profitable endeavour, after all, video games now eclipse the music and film industries combined in the entertainment business.

Then, I'd argue making the Apple ecosystem a first class target for AAA gaming, would bring secondary benefits in terms of, say, Mac sales for video game development, just like the iPhone's app store did for mobile app development.

Basically I'd like to (ask might not be the word) Apple to do an Apple TV+ for games so I don't have to rely on Windows (or a console) for certain experiences when the hardware and ecosystem is already there.

Just to be clear, the underlying thinking here is that there's an egg and chicken problem regarding AAA games here, and Apple could solve it by jumpstarting enough exclusives, etc.

That’s all theoretically beautiful but the truth is rather ugly. The amount of wasted time, in decades, that Apple has neglected the gaming market signaled to the makers, publishers etc not to waste their time. To reverse that would be a monumental undertaking that Apple lacks the will and institutional follow-through to engage in. In short it’s a pipe dream that will never happen.

 

[threesixty360]

As you’ve said, the money is in the games. And what people are asking of Apple is to become a studio. As Sony, nintendo, MS and even sega/snk back in the day were all studios essentially with a console business tagged on to them to sell the games their studios published.

The problem I see now is that AAA games are similar to movies in terms of budget and staff and there is no guarantee of success. Plus unlike movies you don’t really know when they will be ready.

The other problem it being hit and miss is that the big dogs (Sony, MS) control the best studios so it would take even more money for Apple to buy into this market and make a dent. At least in the movie business the cinema industry has collapsed allowing apple to pick up movies for a bit cheaper. Nothing like that is happening in games.

So all in all, I don’t see Apple bothering. The hardware is there. If devs / studio want to make games for it they can. There is nothing stopping them. I just don’t see it as an Apple problem anymore. And I don’t think there is that much more money in AAA games than there is on mobile / non AAA games. I imagine the revenue from COD etc on iOS must be ridiculous right now.

 

[Amirielly]

As you’ve said, the money is in the games. And what people are asking of Apple is to become a studio. As Sony, nintendo, MS and even sega/snk back in the day were all studios essentially with a console business tagged on to them to sell the games their studios published.

The problem I see now is that AAA games are similar to movies in terms of budget and staff and there is no guarantee of success. Plus unlike movies you don’t really know when they will be ready.

The other problem it being hit and miss is that the big dogs (Sony, MS) control the best studios so it would take even more money for Apple to buy into this market and make a dent. At least in the movie business the cinema industry has collapsed allowing apple to pick up movies for a bit cheaper. Nothing like that is happening in games.

So all in all, I don’t see Apple bothering. The hardware is there. If devs / studio want to make games for it they can. There is nothing stopping them. I just don’t see it as an Apple problem anymore. And I don’t think there is that much more money in AAA games than there is on mobile / non AAA games. I imagine the revenue from COD etc on iOS must be ridiculous right now.

Overall, I don’t think it would be profitable or even necessary for Apple to dive into AAA game development. Most players will still prefer iconic titles from long-established studios, no matter how polished an Apple-produced game might be. And considering today’s gaming trends, Apple would also need to think carefully about how to implement in-game transactions in a user-friendly way, similar to what’s done successfully in COD Mobile. Personally, I really appreciate how smoothly these systems are integrated in online casino games. Since I often play that type of game, I’ve come to value how effortless and secure the payment process can be. A great example of this can be seen in this overview of RBC Online Gambling in Canada. The review gives a clear picture of how well-designed payment options enhance the overall user experience. It’s not just about making deposits - it’s about creating a fluid, enjoyable journey for the player. If Apple ever chose to enter the AAA gaming space, drawing inspiration from this level of integration and user focus could be a big plus.

Makes a lot of sense. I'd add that even if Apple did go all-in, they'd need years to build up the kind of developer trust and player community Sony or Nintendo already have. And that’s not even touching on the IP side of things - those iconic franchises are a huge part of what keeps players loyal.