There's reportedly a new dedicated gaming app from Apple planned for all of its devices--from iPhone to Apple TV--that the company looks to launch around Nintendo Switch 2's release on June 5. The app sounds like a mix of a store launcher to pick up games as well as a social hub to replace Game Center.
According to Bloomberg, this will be a major push from Apple to appeal to players and game developers. The app will apparently feature achievements, leaderboards, and social features. Additionally, the Mac version supposedly will include games bought and downloaded from other storefronts. Rumblings of a dedicated gaming app first appeared late last year at 9to5Mac.
That's not all from Apple on the gaming front, either. Earlier this week, the company acquired Sneaky Sasquatch maker RAC7, per Digital Trends. The purchase of the two-person studio is reportedly the first time Apple has ever bought a gaming developer. Sneaky Sasquatch is one of the most popular games on the subscription service Apple Arcade.
The dedicated gaming app also comes almost five years after Fortnite maker Epic took Apple (and Google) to court over App Store policies that didn't allow for companies to get direct payment from users. In fact, Fortnite finally returned to iOS in the US just over a week ago after almost a half-decade off the platform.
Apple has also spent years touting its gaming pedigree, even stating the iPhone 15 Pro was going to be the best gaming console in 2023. Then, last year, Apple launched the iPhone 16 with hardware-accelerated ray tracing and support for AAA games like Assassin's Creed Mirage and Death Stranding.
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According to Bloomberg, this will be a major push from Apple to appeal to players and game developers. The app will apparently feature achievements, leaderboards, and social features. Additionally, the Mac version supposedly will include games bought and downloaded from other storefronts. Rumblings of a dedicated gaming app first appeared late last year at 9to5Mac.
That's not all from Apple on the gaming front, either. Earlier this week, the company acquired Sneaky Sasquatch maker RAC7, per Digital Trends. The purchase of the two-person studio is reportedly the first time Apple has ever bought a gaming developer. Sneaky Sasquatch is one of the most popular games on the subscription service Apple Arcade.
The dedicated gaming app also comes almost five years after Fortnite maker Epic took Apple (and Google) to court over App Store policies that didn't allow for companies to get direct payment from users. In fact, Fortnite finally returned to iOS in the US just over a week ago after almost a half-decade off the platform.
Apple has also spent years touting its gaming pedigree, even stating the iPhone 15 Pro was going to be the best gaming console in 2023. Then, last year, Apple launched the iPhone 16 with hardware-accelerated ray tracing and support for AAA games like Assassin's Creed Mirage and Death Stranding.
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