Apple’s game subscription service features carefully curated games with no ads or in-app purchases.
Apple Arcade is a subscription gaming service for all your Apple devices: iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV. For $4.99 a month you get access to dozens of games across many genres, including both originals you won’t find anywhere else, classics from the App Store, and cross-platform games you’ll see on PC or consoles. You’ve got questions? We’ve got plenty of answers. Updated 04/05/21: On April 2, Apple made substantial changes to Apple Arcade. This article has been updated to reflect them. Apple Arcade is a gaming subscription service for iPhone, iPad, Mac, and AppleTV that features over 150 games. The games are a mix of genres and styles, and include original games you’ll only find on the service and others that can be found on the regular App Store or even other platforms. The games are all able to be downloaded and played; it’s not a game streaming service. Apple Arcade is available as part of iOS 13, iPad OS 13, tvOS 13, and macOS Catalina or later. Some of the more visually-intensive games may only run well on newer hardware, though, and some Mac games require macOS 11 (Big Sur). Apple Arcade costs $4.99 per month, and you’ll also get a one-month free trial. You can also sign up for the annual plan, which is $49.99. If you’re currently on the $4.99 month-to-month plan and want to switch to the annual plan, you can do so on your iPhone or iPad. Open the App Store app, then tap your account icon in the upper right. Tap Subscriptions, then tap the entry for Apple Arcade. Here, you can switch to the annual plan. Apple Arcade is also included in the Apple One subscription bundles. There isn’t an Apple Arcade app—it’s built into the App Store. On your iPhone, iPad, or Mac open the App Store and look for the Apple Arcade tab at the bottom of the screen (or in the left column on macOS). A sign-up screen with a Try It Free button will appear. You get the first month free, then it’s $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year. Tap the button to sign up. You’ll need to enter your Apple ID password. And you’ll have to confirm your subscription purchase a few times. Once you’re done with the sign up, the Arcade section of the App Store shows what games are available to you.
