Apple launched the Apple Video games app yesterday and its significance is beginning to turn into clear as extra particulars are available in.
The app shall be pre-installed on the Homescreen of each single new MacBook Professional, iPhone or iPad offered — and it will likely be pre-installed with the brand new OS replace, MacOS 26 — and it’ll present a personalised residence for video games and enjoying with mates.
I noticed a beta of it at Apple’s headquarters previously couple of days and had a briefing on the main points of the Apple Video games app however no actual hands-on play. I had a uncommon go to to Apple in the course of the Worldwide Developer Convention to get Apple’s view of the world of video games and speak with varied Apple builders.
I consider this app as a form of justice and reconciliation for builders, the place Apple is doing work to enhance sport discovery with suggestions and top-played lists. It’s additionally fostering re-engagement by way of challenges that carry gamers along with their mates.
The backstory
Tim Cook dinner, CEO of Apple, at WWDC 2025.
In 2021, Apple retired the Identifier for Advertisers (IDFA), which damage discovery and person acquisition for video games. It additionally fought a 4.5 yr antitrust authorized battle with Epic Video games over its app retailer practices. And now Apple is reviving its dev-focused Recreation Middle tech and its consumer-focused Apple Video games app, and so it’s lastly doing one thing that ought to enhance discovery for sport builders in a giant means.
Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic Video games, led a campaign in opposition to Apple and its failure to earn the 30% “tax” that it collected on each single App Retailer transaction in video games. In contrast, Epic Video games charged solely 12% for a lot of video games and as little as 5% for video games the place Epic merely dealt with transactions.
Apple diminished the 30% charges alongside the best way for video games . But it surely resisted the hassle to drive it to chop charges till the European Union got here in with litigation and Epic received a key level within the U.S. antitrust case, the place a decide dominated Apple couldn’t cost “junk fees” and couldn’t block devs from promoting of their apps decrease costs than the App Retailer on their very own internet outlets.
Apple Video games app
Apple Video games app will join you with mates by way of video games.
Apple hasn’t mentioned this but, but when the Apple Video games app is profitable, then it may possibly declare that it’s taking these charges and reinvesting them in its platform to make it simpler for builders to earn more cash by way of higher sport discovery, higher suggestions, social interplay with mates and re-engagement with older video games by way of challenges with mates. Maybe it’s not including as much as 30% in worth, however it’s an instance of Apple giving again to its key sport builders.
After all, there are makers of social apps for sport discovery that will not be feeling so good proper now, however we’ll see if Apple has a method to reward them as nicely.
Apple Video games is a brand new all-in-one vacation spot for video games and enjoying with mates on iPhone, iPad, and Mac.At Apple’s Worldwide Builders Convention (WWDC), Apple unveiled Apple Video games, a vacation spot designed to assist gamers bounce again into the video games they love, discover their subsequent favourite, and have extra enjoyable with mates, turning even single-player video games into shared experiences. The Apple Video games app has 5 tabs: House, Apple Arcade, Play Collectively, Library and Search.
The video games app has the standard listing of prime apps lists that yow will discover within the app retailer. However the library brings all your video games collectively in a single place, and it additionally exposes you to a brand new listing of the “top played games.” This isn’t just like the “most downloaded” sport listing, which may embody lots of video games you don’t play a lot. Quite, this “top played” listing has the video games that folks world wide are enjoying probably the most.
That may assist overcome some obstacles to discovery as a result of it’s primarily based on play, quite than issues like “the list of games that advertise the most” or the “games that have the biggest brands” or “the games that people download and play and then never play again.”
The Video games app makes it simpler than ever for gamers to get pleasure from all their video games in a single handy place and see what’s occurring throughout their video games, together with main occasions and updates, in order that they by no means miss a second.
Gamers can see what’s new of their video games, and discover can’t-miss occasions and updates within the Apple Video games app, whether or not holding their iPhone vertically or horizontally.
A briefing on Apple Video games app
The Apple Video games app tracks your sport document.
In a extra detailed session, I discovered a bit extra element. The House tab is the place you may get extra out of your video games that you just’re enjoying, and uncover your subsequent favourite primarily based on what you’re enjoying. So the very first thing you see while you open up this app. You possibly can see right here if certainly one of your pals beat you in a Problem on the leaderboard for a sport. You could possibly additionally see a notification of a brand new character in a sport that you just’re enjoying.
A few of these features are duplicated in third-party apps elsewhere — these aimed toward discovery.
There’s a part dubbed “continue playing,” the place it exhibits all of the video games you’ve gotten been enjoying not too long ago. You possibly can bounce proper again into them, identical to you see on streaming companies like Netflix for exhibits. You may also see video games you’ve gotten not too long ago downloaded so that you don’t lose monitor of them. One other part under that exhibits the video games that your pals are enjoying, which can also be an effective way to find new video games.
For those who subscribe to Apple Arcade, you will notice the video games which might be obtainable, together with new trending titles or titles that you just may like. The highest performed video games relies on the titles which have been performed probably the most.
The library tab exhibits video games which might be presently put in on the gadget, in addition to the video games that you’ve downloaded all through your historical past and can be found for re-downloading.
Recreation Middle was launched to shoppers in 2010 and it was obtainable for them to make use of till 2016. After that, it was eliminated as an app, however its options have been nonetheless obtainable for builders to make use of. The builders may add options like leaderboards that have been hosted throughout the system nonetheless. Recreation Middle is a social gaming framework that lets video games speak to the working system, permitting them to get found. You possibly can see the achievements that you just hit in video games, if Recreation Middle has been applied by the sport dev.
And in that sense, Apple remains to be making use of Recreation Middle and so it isn’t presently planning to retire Recreation Middle.
The Play Collectively tab lets gamers play video games with their mates and kind teams. You possibly can see your historical past of enjoying video games along with specific mates. It makes it very easy to play with them. You possibly can faucet on a buddy and play. All builders within the retailer can implement these options, and tens of 1000’s of builders are utilizing the Recreation Middle options.
You may also problem Challenges to mates in single-player video games, the place you play it, get a rating after which problem your buddy to beat that rating as they play asynchronously — someday within the subsequent 24 hours.
A sport developer arrange a Problem and performed certainly one of his video games after which invited one other buddy to beat that rating. The buddy will get a notification of the Problem after which performs the sport. You possibly can add as many as 16 individuals right into a problem, whether or not they’re mates or others you’ve gotten performed with.
Over the previous 9 years since Recreation Middle disappeared as an app, Apple has been including options like leaderboards. When gamers open the Apple Video games app, they might want to create a Recreation Middle account, then add their mates and set their privateness settings. You possibly can management who you share your sport information with.
I can see a bit room for enchancment. Maybe there may very well be one thing like a most found new sport, or one thing like that which surfaces a a small sport that’s catching on nicely. And I want to know extra about how a lot information is shared with all builders versus key companions.
Glib Platonov, CEO of Doghowl Video games, maker of Thronefall.
“As my friends have grown up and moved away, I miss hearing about what they’re playing on their phones, and the Games app is a great way I can get a window back into their gaming worlds. The app also helps us seamlessly integrate and extend all of the social community features we’ve built into Puzzmo directly into the center of our player’s existing daily play routine,” mentioned Zach Gage, indie developer and cofounder of Puzzmo, in an announcement.
“The introduction of challenges and a new social layer marks a major leap forward for both developers and players. While creators stay focused on gameplay, these features bring people together in just a few taps, effortlessly deepening player engagement — especially important for games like Thronefall,” mentioned Glib Platonov, cofounder of Doghowl Video games, in an announcement.
“The Games app is going to be a game changer for playing on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. The app makes it easy for us to create moments just for groups of friends. The new challenges feature works great and feels natural for our games on Apple Arcade, including our latest release, What the Clash?, and we’ve been having a lot of fun with it,” mentioned Tim Garbos, inventive director and cofounder of Triband, in an announcement.
Garbos was in my demo of the Apple Video games app. Garbos mentioned in a bunch briefing that he was actually excited concerning the new video games app, particularly the Play Collectively characteristic.
One other dev who wasn’t a part of the Apple occasion was Juhana Kotilainen, previously of Rovio. He mentioned, “It’s great for more games discovery and engagement. More venues and impressions give more downloads and support for game developers.”
“It was a very important thing to create,” mentioned Platonov of Doghowl Video games, developer of Thronefall, a method sport that debuted on Steam final yr and has been out on iOS for a few weeks. It has been downloaded a whole bunch of 1000’s of instances and it has a 96% constructive ranking.
“The Apple Games app is available in beta and it’s super easy to use,” Platonov mentioned. “It has things like Challenges, leaderboards, friends, achievements and more. Game Center is built into the app, but it is no longer its own app like it used to be. On the server side, everything is the same. But the front end has changed.”
By way of different social actions, there are apps corresponding to Reddit, Discord, TikTok and Fb. However Platonov famous, “I would say that the biggest thing is that the players no longer needs to jump in and (figure things out). The experience is very smooth. When you receive a challenge, you just accept it. You go through the app and you start playing right away. Your high score will be very easy to access and send to your friend. It’s less friction. That’s exactly what we need.”
Apple Arcade
Sneaky Sasquatch is a prime sport on Apple Arcade.
The Video games app can also be the easiest way to expertise Apple Arcade, Apple’s subscription service with greater than 200 award-winning and extremely rated video games for the entire household, together with Howdy Kitty Island Journey, Sneaky Sasquatch, and Mini Motorways.
Apple Video games is the most effective place to expertise Apple Arcade and entry over 200 award-winning and extremely rated video games. They’re all curated.
Launch Favourite Video games, Uncover New Ones
You possibly can simply discover video games that you’ve downloaded.
The Video games app permits gamers to see all of the video games they’ve ever downloaded from the App Retailer for his or her iPhone and iPad, and brings collectively all of the video games they’ve on Mac. Gamers can see each sport they’ve ever downloaded from the App Retailer, and dive again in the place they left off.
They’ll join any appropriate sport controller for straightforward navigation across the app and to launch proper into their video games. Gamers can discover personalised suggestions primarily based on video games they’ve performed, video games their mates are enjoying, and video games supporting Recreation Middle options, that may be performed collectively.
Gamers can join any appropriate sport controller for straightforward navigation across the Apple Video games app.Editorial collections additionally seem within the app to assist gamers discover new video games, together with among the most fun video games on the App Retailer, corresponding to Balatro, Crashlands 2, and Dredge. If they’re an Apple Arcade subscriber, gamers will see curated collections of the most effective video games included within the catalog that assist them get probably the most out of their subscription.
Play Collectively: Challenges and suggestions
You possibly can play Apple Video games titles with a controller in case you like.
From the House tab in Apple Video games, gamers can get sport suggestions primarily based on play exercise. Gamers now have all their Recreation Middle mates and teams they’ve performed with in a single place, to allow them to simply get pleasure from their video games collectively. They’ll see their shared gaming historical past, examine achievements, and ship mates invite hyperlinks and celebration codes utilizing any messaging app, bringing them proper into a contest or multiplayer match.
With the Apple Video games app, it’s simpler to compete and play with mates.
The Video games app introduces challenges, a brand new method to compete with mates in score-based showdowns. Builders which have Recreation Middle leaderboards for his or her video games can add these distinctive challenges which might be catered to a smaller group of mates. Challenges can flip single-player video games into shared experiences with mates, giving them much more methods to rally a bunch, crown a winner, and have a rematch.
The leaderboard after a problem between mates within the Apple Video games app displayed on iPhone 16 Professional. Challenges within the Apple Video games app are a brand new method to compete with mates in score-based showdowns.
Gamers can invite mates to challenges by choosing their mates or contacts. Whether or not competing to see who can survive probably the most waves of enemies in Thronefall, or who can rack up the best rating in every week’s featured course in Skate Metropolis: New York, challenges unlock an entire new degree of pleasant competitors.
Keep As much as Date with In-Recreation Occasions
The Video games app introduces new options to assist builders hold their gamers within the know concerning the newest sport updates and might’t-miss occasions. Recreation pages within the app come to life, highlighting the most recent exercise for that particular sport. Gamers can see what’s most related to them and the video games they’re actively enjoying, entrance and heart, like updates, stay occasions, and well timed exercise from their mates.
Availability
The Video games app is out there for testing beginning right now by way of the Apple Developer Program at developer.apple.com, and a public beta shall be obtainable by way of the Apple Beta Software program Program subsequent month at beta.apple.com.
The Video games app shall be launched with the launch of iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS Tahoe 26 this fall as a free software program replace. Options are topic to vary. Some options will not be obtainable in all languages or areas, and availability could fluctuate because of native legal guidelines and rules. For extra details about availability, go to apple.com.
Ann Thai of Apple describes the Apple Video games app on the WWDC keynote.
Apple introduced new applied sciences and enhancements to assist builders create extra lovely, clever, and fascinating app experiences throughout Apple platforms.
The corporate additionally mentioned Recreation Porting Toolkit 3 gives builders with up to date instruments for evaluating and profiling their sport. Builders can now customise the Metallic Efficiency HUD, and get onscreen insights and steering for optimizing graphics code for the very best efficiency within the analysis setting. And builders can use Mac Distant Developer Instruments for Home windows to construct Mac video games on a distant Mac of their current improvement.
It additionally introduced Metallic 4, which is designed solely for Apple silicon. It units the stage for the subsequent era of video games on Apple platforms with assist for superior graphics and machine studying applied sciences. Builders can now run inference networks immediately of their shaders to compute lighting, supplies, and geometry, enabling extremely sensible visible results for his or her video games.
And MetalFX Body Interpolation generates an intermediate body for each two enter frames to realize larger and extra secure body charges, and MetalFX Denoising makes real-time ray tracing and path tracing doable in probably the most superior video games.
In the meantime, the MacOS Tahoe 26 and Recreation Overlay offered a preview into the subsequent launch of the working system, MacOS Tahoe 26 and the brand new Recreation Overlay. With the latter, gamers can conveniently modify their system settings, chat with mates, or invite them to play, all with out having to depart their sport. Gamers may activate Low Energy Mode, which extends gaming classes and maximizes playtime on battery.
Extra Video games for Mac
Pawel Saska, affiliate sport director at CD Projekt Crimson displaying Cyberpunk 2077 for Mac.
Builders additionally proceed to ship thrilling new video games on Mac, together with upcoming titles like Crimson Desert and InZOI. Each video games leverage highly effective software program applied sciences like MetalFX Upscaling to speed up efficiency and ship high-quality visuals, in addition to benefit from the M3 and M4 household of chips with ray tracing for a wide ranging expertise.
On the Mac model of the Apple Video games app, additionally, you will be capable of see video games that you’ve downloaded from different sources, like Steam. You will notice these video games seem in your “continue playing” part so that you can get again into and launch instantly. There’s a curated part for Technique video games, but when I wished to seek for Struggle Video games, I must kind that into search. I did that on the prototype and it got here up with all kinds of warfare video games.
There isn’t a tab for multiplayer video games, however you may seek for them and it’ll floor essential video games on the app retailer. However you received’t discover productiveness apps or Tinder in case you do a search throughout the Apple Video games app.
Extra titles on the best way embody Cyberpunk 2077, Blue Prince, Cronos: The New Daybreak, Architect: Land of Exiles, Lies of P: Overture, Hitman: World of Assassination, EVE Frontier, The place Winds Meet, Sniper Elite 5, and extra.
Proper now, the Apple Video games app is not going to be on the Imaginative and prescient Professional combined actuality headset, however maybe that’s extra like an eventuality. I bought an excellent have a look at Cyberpunk 2077 and it look fairly spectacular on a MacBook with an M4 processor. With the Metallic 4 and different enhancements, the sport may run at 120 frames per second, or 120Hz. That made it extraordinarily fluid, together with in probably the most graphics-intensive scene of the sport the place you undergo a form of bazaar in the midst of Evening Metropolis.
It’s nice at capturing the lighting and shadows round Evening Metropolis’s neon lighting, because of tech just like the upscaler and body interpolation in Metallic 4, a low-level and compute utility programming interface for Macs with Apple-based silicon. It takes benefit of HDR and has assist for audio corresponding to AirPods and assist for Magic Mouse.
