Apple Arcade Pricing Announced
Apple today announced that Apple Arcade will be available on the App Store on Thursday, September 19 with iOS 13, offering an all-new way to enjoy games without limits. With a subscription to Apple Arcade for $4.99 per month, users get unlimited access to the entire catalog of over 100 new, exclusive games, all playable across iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac and Apple TV. Apple Arcade is launching with a one-month free trial, and users will not find the games on any other mobile platform or subscription service. Apple Arcade games can all be played offline, and a single subscription includes access for up to six family members with Family Sharing.
The question is where this leaves pretty much all other gaming on Apple platforms – particularly iOS. At launch, Apple Arcade will have dozens of titles, and over 100 will arrive within “the coming weeks”; Apple is planning to add more titles every month. So for the price of a single premium iOS game each month, you’ll get access to hundreds. Quite how premium games are going to compete – even in the short term – I’ve no idea.
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It’s an interesting time for Apple and games, then, and one that is filled with much promise. But it does feel ironic that the one time Apple finally gets interested in games, it may make the rest of the iOS gaming ecosystem even less viable.
Update (2019-09-13): John Gruber:
Apple should have played this video in Tuesday’s event instead of wasting so much time on a handful of live game demos. This video conveys excitement, and makes it feel like there are going to be a lot of games with a lot of variety.
Update (2019-09-17): Juli Clover:
Apple this morning started rolling out access to Apple Arcade, giving a handful of people early access to the $4.99 per month service.
Apple Arcade isn’t launching with the more than 100 titles Apple has said are in development, but there are over 50 games to download across a wide range of categories. All of the games are listed below.
If you’re confused by the platform list because you thought Apple Arcade titles were “exclusive,” the rule is that Apple Arcade titles are not available on any other mobile platforms. And Apple doesn’t count Switch as “mobile.”
