Apple Revives and Refreshes Game Center in iOS 14 and macOS Big Sur

[MacRumors]

Game Center, a feature for tracking game progress and connecting gamers together for multiplayer gameplay experiences, has long been a part of iOS.

Game Center achievements in Settings​

The feature was added to iOS 4 in 2010 and was a key part of gaming for a few years, but Apple nixed the Game Center app in 2016 with the release of iOS 10. Game Center has stuck around since then, but as more of a behind the scenes feature.

Apple's latest software releases revive Game Center, and there's a redesigned Game Center dashboard available on iOS, tvOS, and macOS that games can take advantage of.

Splash page when starting an Apple Arcade game after downloading iOS 14​

Users are able to view their achievements, leaderboards, and Game Center profiles directly within various games through a new in-game dashboard in Apple Arcade games and through the updated Game Center section in the Settings app.

Game Center now offers up recurring leaderboards for current game rankings along with leaderboards for daily, weekly, and monthly competitions, plus a feature that lets users see their friends' game progress. Apple will also use Game Center in Apple Arcade to let users see what games are popular with their friends.

Game Center in an Apple Arcade game​

Apple is encouraging developers to set up leaderboards, add achievements, and opt in to the Game Center challenges feature for their apps.

Apple Arcade game in App Store listing available Game Center achievements​

Apple Arcade is getting other feature updates, such as lists of achievements you can earn in games right on the game page, filters for finding new content, sneak peeks at upcoming games, and a continue playing feature that lets you launch the games you've recently played across your devices from the Apple Arcade tab.

Article Link: Apple Revives and Refreshes Game Center in iOS 14 and macOS Big Sur

 

[newyorksole]

The Game Center icon/logo just makes no sense to me Lol. Colorful circles instead of a game controller or something. Looks better though.

 

[Sharkoneau]

Improvements are always great. But did anybody ask for this?

 

[tgwaste]

Yet, they still wont add an option to disable notifications while playing games.

 

[GubbyMan]

GameCenter needs to get more features so it can compete with real platforms like Steam, PSN or XBL.

For example, let people request to start an iMessage conversation with others on GameCenter. Or make it easy to integrate voice chat into games. Just seeing names online without being able to chat is so boring, might as well play against AI in so many of these Apple Arcade games.

 

[lunarworks]

It was always baffling that they kept the service, but got rid of the app.

 

[jimbobb24]

Why should developers trust Apple with this, again?

 

[topdownjimmy]

Improvements are always great. But did anybody ask for this?

Me! I've wanted Game Center back for a while, and it makes even more sense now with Apple Arcade. Glad to see they're giving this some attention.

 

[Bustycat]

Game Center is just a scoreboard to me.

 

[Christoffee]

Game Center is just a scoreboard to me.

And a crap one at that. Every game centre score board I see has people doing things in negative 12 years where they’ve used the old clock changing trick. It’s riddled with cheaters.

 

[topdownjimmy]

Game Center is just a scoreboard to me.

And a crap one at that. Every game centre score board I see has people doing things in negative 12 years where they’ve used the old clock changing trick. It’s riddled with cheaters.

I know I'm never going to be competitive on a global scale, so cheaters don't really bother me, but for games you're playing along with friends, it can be fun.

 

[CTHarrryH]

Don't want it and hope it is an option and app that can be deleted - I play games but not interested in competing with others etc.

 

[btrach144]

Very happy about this news!

 

[mannyvel]

Social gaming 101?

 

[BaltimoreMediaBlog]

I think Game Center is only back because of the expected rush of IOS game imports to MacOS in Big Sur and possibly even Mojave.

Don't get the wrong impression. Tim Cook hasn't played a game since maybe grade school if that. LOL

 

[tranceking26]

Good to see it return but I'd like to see the back of the "welcome back" bit.

 

[drcre8tive]

can't wait for that Game Center widget to come out

 

[Moonjumper]

It has felt weird being able to earn achievements in games, but not be able to see them. Game Center was short of the features it needed, and got worse, then the app went. It could be really something good.

I put it in the old games I developed, and would consider it again for the games I am developing now. Hopefully Apple will do it right this time.

 

[m11rphy]

My biggest gripe with game centre is apple allowing some to you my iCloud name as there game centre nickname, how can that be right

 

[Sirious]

They hold the power to make Game Centre very addictive... think "Close your rings" for games...

 

[NT1440]

Improvements are always great. But did anybody ask for this?

They’re clearly standing up a gaming service platform in coming years.

 

[Dime]

Improvements are always great. But did anybody ask for this?

I did.

 

[cmaier]

Improvements are always great. But did anybody ask for this?

It’s a positive sign that apple is showing indicia of giving a crap about gaming. Maybe this means they are putting energy into the GPU I keep hearing whispers about (with ray tracing and the whole shebang) and the secret plan to get some AAA games in the next year that I pretend I know something About.

 

[Brien]

Don't want it and hope it is an option and app that can be deleted - I play games but not interested in competing with others etc.

Same here. You can turn it off fully in iOS 13 so hope that stays.

 

[Tech198]

wow,, game center.. that still around?....