Apple announces 'Apple Arcade' game subscription service
At long last, Apple's getting into the games.
This is more Xbox Game Pass than Stadia, an important distinction. Subscribers get access to a library of "more than 100" games, a curated list that's meant to be highlighted by an abundance of exclusive titles.
This isn't a streaming service, it's important to note. Where Google's newly announced Stadia aims to offload the need for expensive hardware into remote data centers, Apple's approach is still bound to certain, unspecified devices in the mobile and desktop spaces. Games are downloaded rather than streamed.
While many of the details remain unclear -- we don't know price or launch date, beyond a vague "fall 2019" promise -- the big surprise of Apple's reveal was a focus on the games themselves. For one, the company is teaming up with a whole mess of major publishing interests.
But there's more to the excitement around Arcade than that. Historically, Apple has maintained a relatively hands-off approach to investments in gaming. The first iPhone essentially kicked mobile gaming up to a new level of popularity, but Apple has largely been content to allow the App Store to serve third-party creators.
The App Store has come a long way since those early days, and Apple's addition of an editorial team has increased the value of browsing through the store and using the recommendations there to discover new titles. But now, with Apple Arcade, the company appears to be actually investing in the development of games directly.
One video highlighted "console quality" games like Beyond a Steel Sky, which looks like some kind of open world-ish sci-fi adventure featuring art from Watchmen co-creator Dave Gibbons. Another, Fantasian, comes from Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi, presumably through his studio, Mistwalker.
As with most things in video games, images tell the tale better than words. Check out this handful of first looks at some of Apple Arcade's exclusives.
A second trailer takes a look at an even wider range of games, though this one is shorter and the looks are far less detailed:
It's exciting stuff, but unfortunately all we know for now. Stay tuned for pricing and catalog details as that fall 2019 launch gets closer. We'll be watching this one closely.
Adam Rosenberg is a Senior Games Reporter for Mashable, where he plays all the games. Every single one. From AAA blockbusters to indie darlings to mobile favorites and browser-based oddities, he consumes as much as he can, whenever he can.Adam brings more than a decade of experience working in the space to the Mashable Games team. He previously headed up all games coverage at Digital Trends, and prior to that was a long-time, full-time freelancer, writing for a diverse lineup of outlets that includes Rolling Stone, MTV, G4, Joystiq, IGN, Official Xbox Magazine, EGM, 1UP, UGO and others.Born and raised in the beautiful suburbs of New York, Adam has spent his life in and around the city. He's a New York University graduate with a double major in Journalism and Cinema Studios. He's also a certified audio engineer. Currently, Adam resides in Crown Heights with his dog and his partner's two cats. He's a lover of fine food, adorable animals, video games, all things geeky and shiny gadgets.
