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How Apple Arcade Has Grown Quietly in the Shadow of Nintendo, Xbox and PlayStation

Exclusive: Apple’s answer to the competition has been to offer casual games for a flat fee, and it’s working.

Apple’s mobile gaming subscription service has come a long way since its release in 2019, more than doubling its game library and offering subscribers new releases, remasters and updates every week. And it may have found its first flagship exclusive with Sneaky Sasquatch, a popular, lighthearted game about a Bigfoot-like character adventuring in the woods, hiding from campers and riding go-carts.

Over the three years since its launch, Apple Arcade has continuously added new games that cater to large audiences, while also spotlighting smaller developers who might’ve otherwise gone unnoticed in the App Store.

What began as a simple tab housing about 100 games is now a dynamic section of the App Store featuring new releases and updates, special in-app events and easy-to-navigate categories. That large catalog, reliable service and fresh, microtransaction-free approach to mobile gaming is why I’ve named it a CNET Editors’ Choice pick since its debut.

«We were defining a new category with the first gaming subscription service for mobile, desktop and living room, and challenged ourselves to launch with 100 brand new titles that would capture the quality and fun that we wanted the service to represent,» Matt Fischer, Apple’s vice president of the App Store, told CNET in an exclusive email interview.

Fischer said he believes Arcade debuted with more new games than any gaming service had launched with before, including heavy-hitters like Xbox Game Pass, PlayStation Plus, EA Play and Nintendo Switch Online.

When first announced, Arcade sounded full of possibilities and like a breath of fresh air for mobile gamers who were tired of racking up bills from in-game microtransactions for items like a new look for their character or more power-ups to beat a particularly hard level. Now, for the equivalent price of one console game a year, Apple Arcade offers subscribers who pay $5 a month access to hundreds of games in categories like puzzle, nostalgia, mystery, sports and kids, as well as titles with multiplayer and social features. In addition to adding and updating content, Arcade removes older games every so often, likely as a result of expired contracts.

In 2023, Arcade subscribers can expect more improvements to the service — potentially another big platform refresh like we saw in April 2021, which led to the release of 32 games along with better library organization. Arcade will also likely keep adding larger, more console-style, graphics-intensive games like NBA 2K23 as Apple improves the capabilities of its iPhones, iPads and Mac computers.

How Apple Arcade sets itself apart from the competition

When Arcade launched in September 2019, Apple firmly planted its flag between free and paid games by promising players access to the full experience of any game in its subscription. That was a stark contrast to the freemium model that had come to dominate mobile gaming, regularly charging players for extra features like more levels or help to defeat a particular challenge. Apple’s goal with Arcade is to allow subscribers to play through a catalog of games without constantly being blocked by those in-app purchases or interrupted by intrusive ads. That approach, Apple believed, also provided parents with peace of mind when letting kids play mobile games.

Although Apple doesn’t disclose data about how many Arcade subscribers it has, Ampere Analysis says the service’s content strategy is geared toward success, particularly by providing a source of entertainment for people during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Arcade also provides a space to spotlight diverse, indie developers who might have otherwise been overshadowed by freemium games in the App Store, a goal that it’s accomplished.

«There are billions of players in the world looking for different types of entertainment experiences,» Fischer said. «Apple Arcade appeals to a wide range of players of all ages and backgrounds, and so should the teams that make the games. We want to ensure we’re bringing the best content and gaming experiences to our subscribers from developers that also uphold our values of innovation, creativity, diversity, and inclusion.»

I’ve been covering Apple Arcade since the beginning, and one of my favorite parts has been hearing the developers’ stories — where the idea for a game came from, how the creators put themselves into a project — and having my expectations flipped.

For example, I don’t gravitate towards sports games, but after talking to the Snowman team (Where Cards Fall, Alto’s Odyssey: The Lost City), the atmospheric, lo-fi skateboarding game Skate City became a go-to title for me. In addition to the main character of Cardpocalypse being in a wheelchair, The Get Out Kids featured a Muslim family — one of the first times I’d seen representation like that in a video game.

Arcade games have also won awards, including titles like Where Cards Fall and Sayonara Wild Hearts. Some of its titles have also expanded to run on other gaming services like Steam, Switch, Xbox and PlayStation.

As for one of the biggest knocks against the service — that it doesn’t have a flagship exclusive game like Halo on Xbox and Mario on Nintendo — Fischer says Apple sees a lot of potential in Sneaky Sasquatch from RAC7, one of the service’s top games, with a rating of 4.9 out of 5 stars. In the game, players explore campsites — undetected by the cranky park ranger or other campers —and fill their backpack with picnic leftovers for themselves and other animals. Since its launch with the service in 2019, Sneaky Sasquatch has received multiple updates expanding the game’s world with features like careers, vacation spots and vehicles options for Sasquatch.

For Apple Arcade’s third anniversary, I asked Fischer how the service has progressed and what comes next. He told me about how Apple sees the store against its competition, what customers have been asking for and how he finds new games that take advantage of hardware advances made possible by Apple’s M2 chip powering Mac computers and the A14 Bionic chip for the iPhone and iPad.

Here’s a lightly edited version of our exchange.

Q: Describe the inception of Apple Arcade. What made Apple want to expand into mobile gaming?

Fischer: Players love the huge catalog of games available on the App Store, from casual titles to console-quality experiences, many of which are free to download and offer in-app purchases or ads within the experience. However, many users are also looking for game experiences they can enjoy without interruptions, [and] without having to pay up-front for each title.

So we saw an opportunity to bring an exceptional set of games together for players who want unlimited access to an evolving catalog of great games, all for a low monthly price, all without in-game ads or in-app purchases. For developers, we sought out partners from around the globe who wanted to build and deliver titles that offered great gameplay, where they didn’t need to design in different business models or advertising to fund the games.

When we launched Apple Arcade, we were thrilled by the reception from both players and developers. The mobile gaming subscription model is an exciting new direction for us. The kinds of games we’re showcasing on Arcade continue to help define the App Store as the world’s best marketplace for games, and iOS the world’s most vibrant gaming platform, with Apple Arcade being complementary to the App Store’s massive catalog of games.

Q: What challenges did Apple face prior to launching the service? After launching the service?

Fischer: Launching the service was very exciting for us, but also quite daunting. We were defining a new category with the first gaming subscription service for mobile, desktop and living room, and challenged ourselves to launch with 100 brand new titles that would capture the quality and fun that we wanted the service to represent. Not only were we proud of the amazing content we had, but also that we launched with more new games than any gaming service had ever launched with before. That includes services like Xbox Game Pass, PlayStation Plus, EA Play, and Nintendo Switch Online. That in and of itself was a monumental task. There were a lot of last-minute changes and tweaks, but it all came together and it was a great launch. The catalog was quickly praised for its high-quality content, and we saw a lot of interest from players from all over the world.

Over time, something we heard consistently from players was that they wanted more casual titles, along with many of the richer Arcade Originals in the catalog. So we saw another great opportunity to offer our subscribers a collection of classic games along with award-winning titles from the App Store, but with all the benefits that players love about the service. In April 2021, we introduced two new categories of games, App Store Greats and Timeless Classics, to expand the catalog. We’ve seen great success with these games, with titles like Solitaire by MobilityWare and Fruit Ninja Classic+ frequently appearing in our top 10 list alongside many of the top Arcade Originals like NBA 2K23 Arcade Edition and Sneaky Sasquatch.

Q: What was Apple’s process for approaching developers to be a part of the service?

Fischer: Fun games, creative ideas. It can be that simple. We want to be able to provide our subscribers with an amazing catalog of high-quality games of all shapes and sizes. We have relationships with nearly every developer in the world, from big publishers to acclaimed creators to respected indie studios. Great games can truly come from anywhere. We continue to identify and work with new talent as well as developers who have created many of the best games in history, both on mobile and other platforms. There are billions of players in the world looking for different types of entertainment experiences. Apple Arcade appeals to a wide range of players of all ages and backgrounds, and so should the teams that make the games. We want to ensure we’re bringing the best content and gaming experiences to our subscribers from developers that also uphold our values of innovation, creativity, diversity and inclusion. Wylde Flowers is a great example of this. The game features inclusive, diverse, and memorable characters voiced by an authentic voice cast, and recently won an App Store Award as the 2022 Apple Arcade Game of Year.

Q: One of the biggest criticisms around Apple Arcade is that the service doesn’t have a flagship exclusive game, like Halo on Xbox, Mario and Nintendo, etc. What’s Apple’s plan to attain a title that could be synonymous with the service?

Fischer: Breaking new IP in any entertainment business is challenging, but especially so in gaming. Developing hit games takes time. We have been primarily focused on building a broad catalog that reaches many different players rather than trying to find one flagship game. We want everyone to find something they will love.

One game that’s continued to grow in popularity on Apple Arcade is Sneaky Sasquatch from RAC7, a two-person team from Vancouver. It was one of our launch titles and has constantly evolved with regular updates throughout the years. The game has expanded into a much richer world with many new adventures and is consistently one of our top-performing titles. We hear from fans of the game from all over the world, of all ages, on how much they love Sneaky Sasquatch. We see a bright future ahead for Sneaky.

Q: How does Apple choose games for the service? Is player feedback or metrics taken into account when choosing new games?

Fischer: As I mentioned before, fun games and creative ideas go a long way. We do pay attention to what players are responding to and make adjustments accordingly, looking for games that will appeal to them. But we also like to make bets on independent developers with visionary ideas so we can help bring them to life. We provide developers an opportunity to create the games they want without worrying about monetization mechanics, which in turn, provides players with innovative games that may not have seen the light of day without Apple Arcade.

Q: Back in July, subscribers noticed about 15 games in a Leaving Soon category, which prompted questions about games being taken off of Apple Arcade. Those weren’t the first titles to leave the service, but it was a sizable portion of the overall catalog. How do you decide what gets taken off?

Fischer: Since the beginning of Apple Arcade, our vision has always been to evolve the catalog to provide players a continually new selection of fun games to play on all their favorite Apple devices including iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV. We launched the service with an unprecedented collection of over 100 new games and have since added more than 150 titles. We’ve also released more than 500 new content updates for existing games since the service launched. The catalog stays fresh so that players can enjoy their favorite Arcade games for years, while checking out new titles across a wide variety of genres. We look to have a regular cadence with only a handful of games leaving monthly, enabling us to focus on consistently bringing new exciting games and updates to players on a weekly basis.

Q: Is there a metric that measures the success of a game on Arcade? Number of downloads? Minutes played?

Fischer:We look at ratings and reviews as player feedback is very critical for us in delivering the best possible service for our users. The most important thing for us is player satisfaction — are they understanding the benefits of the subscription model; are they aware of the incredible selection of games the service makes available; do they stay subscribed and find value in the service.

Q: Apple’s catalog has featured a lot of diversity — characters with disabilities, different religions, etc. What is Apple Arcade doing to actively recruit developers and publishers who make those kinds of games?

Fischer:We want the characters in our games and our overall catalog to reflect the world we live in, and to embrace Apple’s values, so we always discuss this with developers upfront. We’ve since reached the point now where many developers understand this about Apple Arcade and are bringing us ideas with diverse characters and perspectives. A few good examples of this are Wylde Flowers and Gibbon: Beyond the Trees.

Q: What’s a dream game that Apple hopes to join the service in the future?

Fischer:I would say many of our dream games are already available on the service — Fantasian, Wylde Flowers, The Oregon Trail, Sneaky Sasquatch, Skate City, Grindstone, Gibbon: Beyond the Trees, Mini Motorways. … I can go on and on. But Arcade is not just about one title. That’s not really how we think about it. We want a great catalog with several compelling choices for every type of player.

Q: What are Apple Arcade’s ambitions for the kinds of games that are available on the service, especially as the technology in iPhones and iPads continues to advance?

Fischer:Our ultimate goal is to continually refresh the catalog with new games; some are easy to pick up and play, others offer a deeper gameplay experience, some are great games to play solo or with family and friends, but all in all, it is about having fun. Apple also continues to drive major innovations in gaming with Metal, A14 Bionic, M2, and augmented reality. We’ll continue to work with developers to help them take advantage of the advances in our hardware and software to provide the best gameplay experiences for our users.

Q: Has Apple considered a dedicated [Apple-made] console system or controller for its games?

Fischer:Our focus right now is continuing to build Arcade and meeting our players’ needs and expectations.

Q: Now that Apple Arcade is entering its third year, where is the service in terms of expectations? Is Apple happy with subscriber numbers and active users, or is that still an area of focus?

Fischer: We’re thrilled with how the service is performing and how much it has grown thus far. We have an incredibly broad and deep catalog that our players are loving and we continue to deliver exclusive new versions of hit games like NBA 2K23 Arcade Edition, Jetpack Joyride 2 and Cooking Mama: Cuisine. We have new titles as well like Air Twister from renowned developer Yu Suzuki, and hit games based on popular IP like Lego Star Wars: Castaways and Warped Kart Racers. We’re excited about the future of the service and look forward to our continued work with amazing and talented developers from around the world.

Technologies

We Played Nintendo Switch 2: Mario, Donkey Kong, Mouse, Camera and a Lot More

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Nintendo Switch 2: Every Reveal About the Console, New Games, Price, Release Date

The $450 console launches June 5, with Mario Kart World the highlight of its launch day game lineup.

The Nintendo Switch 2 console’s biggest reveal yet arrived Wednesday as part of the company’s latest Nintendo Direct event. This teed up a day of Switch 2 reveals that include its June 5 release date, a $450 price, its specs and its initial game lineup that extends from launch into 2026

The console will be further buoyed by having Mario Kart World as a launch title, which will go on sale in either a $500 bundle with the Switch 2 or on its own for $80 — making the open-world racing game one of Nintendo’s most expensive yet. Other games announced, such as Donkey Kong Bananza, are being priced around $70, which matches the cost of 2023’s The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. That Zelda game and Breath of the Wild are among the original Switch titles that will get enhanced Nintendo Switch 2 Edition upgrades, a premium upgrade allowing players to get new features, modes and graphical enhancements that take advantage of the newer system’s capabilities. 

Here are the top highlights from Nintendo’s console event, all of the games we’ve heard about so far (including new titles, Nintendo Switch 2 Editions and GameCube games coming to Nintendo Switch Online) and all of our coverage so far. You can also check out our Nintendo Switch 2 live blog for even more updates about the Switch 2 as we learn them. 

Nintendo Switch 2 console

The Nintendo Switch 2’s specs saw a noticeable technical bump over the Switch. The Nintendo Switch 2 has a 7.9-inch, 1080p resolution LCD that supports a 120Hz refresh rate — matching what we now see on most Android phones. When the Switch 2 is docked, compatible games can run in 4K resolution. The new dock also includes a cooling fan. 

The Switch 2 comes with 256GB of internal storage, and the new Switch 2 Game Cards will load games faster. For digital libraries, however, the Switch 2 will only work with microSD Express cards, which are different from the microSD cards that are compatible with the prior Nintendo Switch. Nintendo will have a Software Transfer feature available to help move games and data from the original Switch to the Switch 2.

The new Joy-Con for the controllers will support mouse controls, and a new C button will be part of a new GameChat communication feature that allows both voice and video chat. There’s also a Nintendo Switch 2 Camera, allowing players to see each other.

The Switch 2 also adds a second USB-C port to the top of the system, which Nintendo says can help connect its new camera accessory or charge the console when playing in tabletop mode. Nintendo also revealed a new Switch 2 Pro Controller with the C button and customizable GL and GR buttons on the back.

Following the presentation, Nintendo unveiled the system’s price of $450 in the US. It will also sell the Switch 2 bundled with a digital version of Mario Kart World for $500.

Mario Kart World

Mario Kart World removes its traditional boundaries and lets drivers roam freely across an entire world of race courses. The game will get its own Nintendo Direct later this month, where we’ll see additional details, but we already know it’ll include traditional races and a Free Roam mode, much like in the Forza Horizon series. 

Getting the game bundled for an extra $50 on the cost of the Switch 2 might be the move if you are interested in the game, because Nintendo announced on its website that standalone copies of Mario Kart World will cost $80

Joy-Con 2 C button and GameChat

Nintendo’s rolling out its new C button across several new Switch 2 controllers. The button will be used for the new GameChat communication features without a headset. The button will be used alongside a microphone on the console itself, which Nintendo says can be used whether it’s docked to a TV or in handheld mode. 

In its teaser video, Nintendo promises the microphone will be able to cancel out loud background noises. GameChat will also work with a Nintendo Switch 2 Camera, allowing video chat and various camera-based game modes in supported titles. GameChat will be free at launch through March 31, 2026.

Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games upgrade titles

The Nintendo Switch 2 will play three types of games: original Switch games, Switch 2 games and Switch 2 Edition games that will receive substantial enhancements. For many of these Switch 2 Edition games, you’ll need to buy an upgrade pack if you own the original for Switch. Many of them will get more than just enhanced graphics in the upgrade; for example, Super Mario Party Jamboree will get new games that support the new Joy-Cons’ mouse controls, audio recognition and video camera gameplay options through the Switch 2 Camera. 

Other Nintendo Switch games that are getting Switch 2 Edition options include The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild, The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Metroid Prime 4 Beyond and Pokemon Legends: Z-A. Enhancements vary: The Zelda games will start working with a companion phone app for maps and sending schematics to friends, while Kirby will get a new story that’s exclusive to the Switch 2 Edition. On the third-party side, Civilization 7 will get mouse controls.

Nintendo did not announce what upgrade packs will cost. However, some Switch games will get free updates that will improve performance or enhance features when playing them on the Switch 2. The Switch games getting these updates include:

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment is a new game set in the world of Zelda that tells the story that leads into The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. This appears to be similar to how Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity told the story of a war that led to the events of Breath of the Wild. The teaser shows Zelda discovering that she’s arrived in the past of Hyrule, and the game will expand on how she gets involved in the corresponding Imprisonment War.

Nintendo Switch 2 games

Several other first- and third-party games were spotlighted during the Switch 2 Direct. These include Donkey Bananza, one of the first 3D platforming games featuring DK since 1999’s Donkey Kong 64. Kirby will also return to the racing genre in Kirby Air Riders, which comes more than 20 years after the GameCube racer Kirby’s Air Ride. DragXDrive will use mouse controls to control a futuristic wheelchair basketball game in which players will simulate push and pull motions to control their character.

An onslaught of Switch 2 third-party games were quickly shuffled through during the Direct, which I list below. An unnamed James Bond game is in development at Hitman studio IO Interactive, as is a darker title from Elden Ring creator FromSoftware called The Duskbloods, which will be exclusive to the Switch 2. 

The full list of announced Nintendo Switch 2 games includes:

  • Borderlands 4
  • Bravely Default Flying Fairy HD Remaster
  • Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition
  • Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion
  • Deltarune
  • Donkey Kong Bananza
  • Drag x Drive
  • EA Sports FC
  • EA Sports Madden NFL
  • Elden Ring Tarnished Edition
  • Enter the Gungeon 2
  • Fast Fusion
  • Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade
  • Fortnite
  • Hades 2
  • Hitman World of Assassination — Signature Edition
  • Hogwarts Legacy
  • Hollow Knight: Silksong
  • Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment
  • Kirby Air Riders
  • Kirby and the Forgotten Land — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition and Star-Crossed World
  • Kunitsu-Gai: Path of the Goddess
  • Mario Kart World
  • Metroid Prime 4: Beyond — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
  • NBA 2K
  • Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour
  • Nobunaga’s Ambition: Awakening Complete Edition
  • Pokemon Legends: Z-A — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
  • Project 007
  • Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S
  • Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
  • Sid Meier’s Civilization 7 — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
  • Split Fiction
  • Star Wars Outlaws
  • Starseeker: Astroneer Expeditions
  • Street Fighter 6
  • Super Mario Party Jamboree — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition and Jamboree TV
  • Survival Kids
  • The Duskbloods
  • The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
  • The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
  • Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 and 4
  • WWE 2K
  • Yakuza 0 Definitive Edition

Among these titles, you can see the full list of June 5 Switch 2 launch day games here.

Nintendo GameCube library coming to Switch 2

The Nintendo Switch Online game library will add GameCube games to the Switch 2. On launch day, these games will initially include The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, SoulCalibur 2 and F-Zero GX, with each game getting enhanced graphics. Online multiplayer will also be added to certain titles. Super Mario Sunshine, Super Mario Strikers and Luigi’s Mansion are among the games set to arrive later. At launch, Nintendo will also sell a GameCube controller, which will be wireless and include a C button for GameChat.

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