Think Apple’s Game Center has been kind of underwhelming? Apple’s latest move is a full-featured gaming app that aims to make gaming on iPhone, iPad, and Mac way more fun and social.
There aren’t many iOS features I care about less than Game Center. Honestly, I just don’t get the point—unless you’re into checking achievements or comparing Candy Crush levels with friends. That’s pretty much it. Now, Apple wants to change that. They’re working on a full-blown gaming app for their devices. It’s part of a bigger push to show gamers and developers they’re serious about being a major player in the gaming world. The big question? Can the Apple gaming app bring something useful to the table?
Players already have tons of choices, from cloud platforms to classic consoles. And with the Nintendo Switch 2 coming soon, Apple needs to step up and prove it has something worth playing.
For starters
The Apple gaming app will act as a hub for titles, bringing together achievements, leaderboards, chats, and other in-game features in one place, says Mark Gurman.
The software will include Apple’s reviews of new games, direct access to the App Store’s game section, and highlight Arcade, the $6.99-a-month subscription service. Tons of games come out every week, and I miss a lot because there’s no easy way to discover them. Having one spot where Apple suggests cool new games sounds awesome.
Digging deeper
Apple is also working on a Mac version of the gaming app that will support games downloaded outside the App Store. I can see it becoming a real competitor to Steam, which dominates PC gaming. Steam offers features like remote play, remote play together, local network downloads, and family sharing. My favorite part? Easy—browsing the store to discover a wide variety of game genres, especially during sales.
About two-thirds of Apple’s App Store revenue comes from games and in-app purchases, like tokens, levels, and upgrades you buy inside the games. To boost its gaming efforts, Apple even acquired RAC7 Games, a small studio known for the popular Sneaky Sasquatch adventure game.
Release date
Word on the street is that Apple plans to launch its gaming app at WWDC25 (June 9 to June 13). They will preinstall the app on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV later in 2025.
Final thoughts
Alright, I’m curious to see if Apple’s new gaming app can make a real difference. With so many gaming options available, it needs to offer something valuable to stand out. Having a central place for discovering games, tracking achievements, and connecting with others already sounds promising.