Apple’s Gaming Strategy: Another Empty Threat?
▼ Summary
– Apple’s WWDC often includes attempts to showcase its commitment to gaming, featuring developer testimonials and new iOS gaming features, though skepticism remains.
– Apple’s massive installed base of 2.35 billion active devices, including over a billion iPhones, represents significant untapped potential for gaming growth.
– A new gaming-centric app is expected to replace Game Centre in iOS, offering streamlined game launching and possible integration with macOS and third-party stores.
– Apple’s acquisition of RAC7, a small studio behind Sneaky Sasquatch, signals cautious commitment to Apple Arcade but doesn’t indicate large-scale studio expansion.
– Legal pressures may force Apple to open its platform to third-party game stores, posing a real threat to its App Store revenue from games.
Apple’s annual WWDC event is just around the corner, sparking yet another round of speculation about whether the tech giant will finally make good on its long-standing promise to take gaming seriously. For years, the company has teased its commitment to the gaming industry, only to retreat shortly after, leaving developers and players skeptical. Yet despite the skepticism, Apple’s massive installed base of over 2.35 billion active devices ensures the gaming world keeps watching closely.
This year’s WWDC is expected to introduce a revamped gaming app, replacing the outdated Game Center with a sleeker, more integrated platform. Rumors suggest it could function similarly to the Apple TV app, aggregating games from multiple sources while offering social and editorial features. Whether this signals a deeper overhaul of Apple’s gaming services—such as built-in chat or matchmaking—remains unclear. But given the company’s history of half-hearted gaming initiatives, skepticism is warranted.
One notable shift, however, is Apple’s recent acquisition of RAC7, the tiny studio behind Sneaky Sasquatch. While the two-person team hardly signals a major push into game development, the move suggests Apple is at least acknowledging gaps in its gaming expertise. More importantly, it reinforces the company’s commitment to Apple Arcade, its subscription-based gaming service that continues to fly under the radar for much of the industry.
Despite its low profile, Apple Arcade has quietly carved out a niche, particularly among parents drawn to its ad-free, microtransaction-free model. While it may not dominate gaming headlines, the service likely contributes steady subscription revenue, aligning with Apple’s broader services strategy.
The bigger question is whether Apple is preparing for a future where third-party game stores, like Epic, Steam, or Xbox, could land on iOS due to regulatory pressure. If forced to open its ecosystem, Apple’s control over gaming revenue would face serious challenges. Updating its gaming infrastructure and acquiring small studios might not be enough to compete, but they could mark the beginning of a more serious approach.
For now, the gaming world will watch WWDC with cautious curiosity, knowing Apple’s promises often ring hollow, but aware that its platform’s sheer scale makes ignoring them impossible.
(Source: Games Industry)
