Apple Games Launched: A Unique Center for Personalized Gaming Experience
Development Insights from Industry Experts:
“When my friends and I transitioned to different environments, I often missed the times we gathered to play games on our phones. The introduction of Games has provided me a renewed perspective on our shared gaming experiences. This platform also helps us easily integrate and expand the connected features available in Puzzmo directly into our daily gaming experiences.” — Zach Gage, independent developer and creator of Puzzmo.
“The launch of the challenge feature, along with new social interaction elements, marks a significant advancement for both developers and players. While creators focus on gameplay, these features facilitate closer connections among players through simple touch interactions, encouraging active participation in collaborative gameplay — especially important for games like Thronefall.” — Glib Platonov, founder of Doghowl Games.
“Games will redefine the gaming experience for iPhone, iPad, and Mac users. This platform allows us to create memorable moments for groups of friends. The new challenge feature operates effectively, bringing a natural sense of competition to our games on Apple Arcade, including new releases like WHAT THE CLASH?, which we have thoroughly enjoyed with this feature!” — Tim Garbos, creative director and founder of Triband.
The Games platform is also the most effective way to experience Apple Arcade, offering subscriptions that provide access to over 200 award-winning games suitable for the whole family, including Hello Kitty Island Adventure, Sneaky Sasquatch, and Mini Motorways.
Join Your Favorite Games, Discover New Titles
Players can view all the games they’ve downloaded from the App Store on iPhone and iPad, while also aggregating the games they’ve downloaded on Mac within the Games platform.
The platform allows players to easily connect with friends to enjoy their favorite games together, facilitating quick engagement in gameplay. Players can explore personalized suggestions based on games they have previously played, games their friends are currently enjoying, and other Game Center features for collaborative gaming experiences.
Curated collections will be featured within the app to help players discover new titles, including some of the most exciting games available on the App Store like Balatro, Crashlands 2, and DREDGE. If already subscribed to Apple Arcade, players will find curated collections that highlight the best titles available in their subscription package.
Participate in Game Events
The Games platform introduces new features that allow developers to ensure players are always informed about the latest content updates and significant events in their games. The gaming interfaces within the platform are highly interactive, showcasing the latest activities for games that players can engage in. Players can view relevant information about their ongoing games, including updates, live events, and the newest activities straight from their friends.
Personalized Experience
The Games platform will be available for testing starting today in the Apple Developer Program on developer.apple.com, with a public beta version expected in next month’s Apple Beta Software Program at beta.apple.com/en. The Games platform will be released when iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS Tahoe 26 are launched this fall as a free software update. Some features may be subject to change, and certain functionalities may not support specific languages or regions, with the scope of use possibly changing due to local laws and regulations. For more information regarding the scope of use, please visit apple.com/us.
