A monthly fee will give you access to more than 100 new and exclusive games
Photos: Apple
Gamers, listen up! Apple just announced a new project at their Apple Event that we bet you’re going to love. It is Apple Arcade, the tech giant’s new game subscription service for iOS mobile devices, Mac laptops, and Apple TV. Touted as the world’s first game subscription service for mobile, desktop and the living room, Apple Arcade will launch in fall 2019 in over 150 countries.
We are definitely crossing our fingers that Singapore will be one of those lucky countries to enjoy Apple Arcade. The tech giant is finally diving deep into the gaming, and we want to be part of this new venture. With so many excellent free games on the App Store, many of us hesitate to purchase the paid games, even though they are critically acclaimed and widely praised. Apple Arcade aims to give premium games a spotlight and draw a bigger audience for them through a monthly subscription fee.
So, what do we have to look forward to with Apple Arcade? What games will be included? How much will it cost? Here’s a run-down on what we know (and what we still want to know) about the exciting new service.
Subscribers can play all the games offline and switch between devices
As mentioned, Apple Arcade will be available on iOS devices (iPhones and iPads), MacBooks, and Apple TV. Many of the games will even offer support for game controllers. Subscribers to the service will not need to stream the games – every game can be downloaded onto your devices for playing offline. Your data and battery can take a break!
What’s more, subscribers can switch across various Apple devices to play the games! Say you are playing a game on your iPhone, but after a while, you feel like getting more comfortable. You can close it on your phone, pull it up on your Apple TV, and pick up right where you left off!
If you don’t have Apple TV yet, playing Apple Arcade games conveniently on your own TV screen is not the only new reason you should get it now. During the Apple Event, the company also announced another new service coming later this year – Apple TV+ and the new Apple TV app. Apple TV+, which has already been compared to Netflix, is a video streaming subscription service that will feature exclusive original shows, movies and documentaries from famous Hollywood creative artists (Steven Spielberg and Oprah Winfrey are just two big names in the star-studded list).
A brand-new Apple TV app is also coming in May 2019. It will be a one-stop platform for a range of over 100 top movie and TV show-streaming services, including HBO, Starz, SHOWTIME, and CBS All Access. You can choose to pay for the services you want, and then enjoy them conveniently on the Apple TV app.
Apple Arcade provides unlimited access to the collection of over 100 premium games
All subscribers to Apple Arcade get to play as many games out of the library of over 100 games, as many times as they want. You will be able to find the games in their own dedicated tab in the App Store. Instead of paying for individual games up front, and possibly worry whether the game is worth the price, the new gaming service offers subscribers the freedom to try any game available without that fear, and discover new games to love.
Although Apple has not officially announced how much the subscription fee will cost, they did say that it will be a monthly fee that includes family sharing for up to six people. The games will also have no ads, ad tracking or additional purchases, not even for future updates.
All the games will be new, original and exclusive, created by some of the world’s best developers
One of our biggest questions is, “What are the games? What games can subscribers play on Apple Arcade?” The tech giant is curating the selection of games and working closely with top game developers to make the games. They include Annapurna Interactive, Bossa Studios, Cartoon Network, Finji, Giant Squid, Klei Entertainment, Konami, LEGO, Mistwalker Corporation, SEGA, Snowman, and ustwo games. World-renowned game creators, such as Hironobu Sakaguchi (Final Fantasy), Ken Wong (Monument Valley) and Will Wright (The Sims), are also making new original games for the service.
The video above gives a preview of some of the games to come, and you can immediately see how immersive, fun and gorgeously designed they are. All of the games are exclusive, and will not be available on any other mobile platform or in any other subscription service.
Here’s a sample of the exciting titles Apple has announced so far.
“Sonic Racing” from SEGA:
“Beyond a Steel Sky” by Revolution Software:
“LEGO Brawls” from LEGO:
“Oceanhorn 2: Knights of the Lost Realm” by Cornfox & Bros.
“Projection: First Light” from Blowfish Studios:
“Enter The Construct” by Directive Games Limited:
Apple also promises to add new games to the service on a regular basis.
Get a sneak peek at the production process of some games in this video:
Are you a game developer yourself, working on an unreleased game? You could submit your game for consideration to be included on Apple Arcade! Click here for more information.
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