It's been barely a week since Google announced its video game streaming service that we have another tech giant making the leap into gaming and it comes at no surprise that this company is none other than Apple.

During its Apple Event today, the multi-billion dollar company announced its take on video game subscription service, the Apple Arcade. Touted as "the world’s first game subscription service for mobile, desktop and the living room", this service will offer over 100 new and exclusive games to subscribers, with titles coming from game creators like Hironobu Sakaguchi (Final Fantasy) and Will Wright (SimCity) that will be playable across Apple devices.

Apple also announced that the service will feature games from Annapurna Interactive, Bossa Studios, Cartoon Network, Finji, Giant Squid, Klei Entertainment, Konami, LEGO, Mistwalker Corporation, SEGA, Snowman, ustwo games and dozens more. Some games that have already been announced include Sonic Racing, LEGO Brawls and Oceanhorn 2: Knights of the Lost Realm.

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Unlike streaming services like the recently unveiled Google Stadia, the Apple Arcade will be playable offline, and the games will be ad-free and without in-app purchases. For a monthly subscription fee (of an unspecified amount at the time of writing), players will have the opportunity to try any game in the service with all game features, content and future updates included right off their iPhone, iPad, Mac and/or Apple TV. Moreover, given that the service is accessible across Apple devices, subscribers can pick up where they left off in a game, even if they switch devices. Apple also mentions that "many games will offer support for game controllers".

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Apple Arcade will launch in fall 2019 in more than 150 countries from a new tab on the App Store across iOS, macOS and tvOS.

What do you think of Apple's move into the video game industry? Do you look forward to the Apple Arcade-exclusives?

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[Falco_DJ]

I don't see why companies keep doing subscription based video game services, honestly who wants to pay monthly when they can purchase something once and be done with it.

 

[Pleng]

I don't see why companies keep doing subscription based video game services, honestly who wants to pay monthly when they can purchase something once and be done with it.

They do it because people are willing to pay for it. If there was no money in it, then they wouldn't do it.

 

[Falco_DJ]

They do it because people are willing to pay for it. If there was no money in it, then they wouldn't do it.

I know I just think it's dumb. Companies make more money by doing it that way so eventually every thing will be subscription services sadly.

 

[Ryccardo]

Anybody else remember when Apple was trying to keep games off the app store because iPhones were for "serious, productive adults?" Rofl.

Can’t say as I do to be honest. But I’d love to read an article on it if you’ve got a link. Just to see how they’ve changed their tune.

I vaguely remember this story too, but it certainly was true [too] for the first Macs - the only "licensed games for the platform" were the chess game featured in the announcement video, and the slider puzzle desk accessory

 

[PlushBun]

games are not like netflix. y do you need a subscription can you just buy the games then play it like steam?

 

[SG6000]

Full disclosure: I fucking loathe Apple and even if this scheme appealed to me I'd still want it to fail.

But seriously, imagine paying a subscription for the kind of low grade mobile toss the U2-loving wankers at Apple HQ think we want.

LOL

 

[the_randomizer]

games are not like netflix. y do you need a subscription can you just buy the games then play it like steam?

Well because obviously owning games is too much of a hassle. Game streaming services be damned, screw that, I'd rather be able to download a game instead of streaming BS.