Apple Arcade

Apple Arcade is a video game subscription service offered by Apple Inc. It is available through a dedicated tab of the App Store on devices running iOS 13, tvOS 13, iPadOS 13, and macOS Catalina or later.[1][2] The service launched on September 19, 2019 after being announced on March 25, 2019.[3]

Apple Arcade
DeveloperApple Inc.
TypeVideo game Subscription service
Launch dateSeptember 19, 2019
Platform(s)iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Apple TV, Mac
Operating system(s)iOS 13 or later, iPadOS 13 or later, tvOS 13 or later, macOS Catalina or later
StatusActive
Pricing modelUS$4.99 per month or US$49.99 annually
WebsiteApple Arcade official website

One of the appeals is it offering uninterrupted, unintrusive experiences by excluding what many see as staples of popular, primarily free-to-play, mobile games such as in-app purchases and advertisements.[4]

Features

All titles available on the service are free of advertisements, in-app purchases, data tracking processes and Always-on DRM, meaning titles can be played offline and without interruptions.[2] Subscribers can share access with up to five others through family sharing and the service can also be purchased through the Apple One bundle. Both standalone subscriptions and the Apple One bundle provide a free one month trial and can be cancelled at any time.

Titles on the service feature integration with Game Center and iCloud, allowing games to implement social features such as achievements and leaderboards, and carry data between devices when linked to the same iCloud account. In addition to Apple's own products, many titles on the service are compatible with third-party accessories such as DualShock 4 and Xbox Wireless Controller.[1]

Games
Main article: List of Apple Arcade games

There were an initial 71 games made available at launch, with Apple stating that the number would grow to over 100 by 2020.[5] The apps support a minimum of 14 languages and can be accessed in over 150 countries.[5]

Noted publishers and developers that have partnered with Apple to create Arcade titles include Sega, Konami, and Annapurna Interactive.[3] Developers cannot release their Apple Arcade games on other mobile platforms due to exclusivity agreements but are allowed to offer their titles on console or PC. Apple does not share game performance metrics with developers, only revealing whether the game has been accepted onto the Apple Arcade platform.[6]

There are several categories within the platform that group together similar games based on their premise, genre, level of difficulty and more. Some categories include “adventure”, “puzzle”, and “education”.[2] There is also a category called “daily play suggestions”, which offers a curated selection of games based on the consumer’s download and gameplay history.[2]

Use in education

Apple Arcade offers a selection of games that can be used for educational purposes. Educators can sample a range of apps for education. Researchers have recommended titles such as Manifold Garden, Mini Motorways, Dear Reader, and Assemble with Care for classroom use.[5] These apps have been described by some educators as informative, engaging and interactive for students.[5]

Revenue

In 2018, premium games on the App Store generated $476 million USD while free-to-play games produced $21.3 billion USD in revenue.[6] Also, the number of premium apps available on the App Store fell from 21.6% of total App Store games in 2014 to 9.3% in 2018.[6] Some analysts argue that this is a contributing factor to the development and founding of Apple Arcade, with the economic perspective that consumers will be more incentivized to pay a subscription fee to access a range of premium apps rather than purchasing individual premium games.[7] Others have argued that Apple Arcade is another source of revenue for Apple and enables them to compete with other video-game subscription services like Google Play Pass and Xbox Game Pass.[3]

Apple spent $500 million to launch Apple Arcade. Apple pays app developers an upfront fee to create video-games for the platform and corresponds with some developers in the development process.[6] While Apple has not disclosed its real revenue from the service, researchers have estimated that by 2024, Apple Arcade subscribers will equate to around 10% of Apple’s consumer base and generate $4.6 billion in revenue.[6]

See also

References
  1. Biggs, Tim (September 20, 2019). "Apple Arcade: how to jump in and start playing". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved November 6, 2020.
  2. Needleman, Sarah E. (September 10, 2019). "Apple Wants Gamers to Hit 'Subscribe' With Apple Arcade". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved November 6, 2020.
  3. "Apple and Google to offer frictionless gaming, if your NBN plan can handle it". www.swinburne.edu.au. Retrieved November 6, 2020.
  4. Tenbusch, Andrew (March 20, 2020). "Free-to-Play Mobile Gaming: Why F2P is So Popular Among Gamers". Medium. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
  5. Knowlton, Thomas (2020). "Apple arcade gives educators choices: The subscription service allows many game options for a relatively low price". School Library Journal. 60(3): 30.
  6. Guadiana, Gerardo (2020). A Netflix experience : reimagining the direct-to-consumer platform (Thesis thesis). Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
  7. Carroni, Elias; Madio, Leonardo; Shekhar, Shiva (2018). "Superstars in Two-Sided Markets: Exclusives or Not?". SSRN Electronic Journal. doi:10.2139/ssrn.3243777. ISSN 1556-5068.


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