Apple Arcade is Apple’s premium games service, and it’s constantly growing with new titles.
If you own an i-device, Apple Arcade is very possibly something you’re aware of; it’s a gaming service that offers you access to a big collection of titles in a wide range of genres. Running on iPhones, iPads, Apple TVs and Macs, Apple Arcade was launched in 2019 and since then has grown considerably, with its initial list of 60 games nearly tripled in size as of early 2021. It’s Apple’s take on the whole ‘Netflix-for-gaming’ approach – and like the popular video streaming company, Apple has put plenty of money into its own productions too, so lots of the games on Apple Arcade can’t be played anywhere else. Whether you’re on the fence about paying the subscription fee, or already do and want to know how to make the most of the Apple Arcade service, we’ll run you briefly through what you need to know. Apple Arcade bucks the trend for Apple’s usual pricing strategies. While Apple Arcade offers a monthly family subscription plan in the vein of Apple News Plus, Apple Music, and Apple TV Plus, it will only cost only $4.99 / AED 19.99 / £4.99 / AU$7.99 per month rather than the $9.99 cost of some of its sibling platforms. In addition, you get a one-month free trial. That low price may be a sign of Apple trying to find a competitive foothold in a pretty packed market – Android phones have the rival Google Play Pass which has some big-name games on it. If you want, you can also get Apple Arcade access through Apple One – that’s the company’s all-in-one subscription services that gives you access to many of its platforms, including Arcade. Any good gaming platform needs a great controller – but Apple Arcade is in the rather unique position of having to work across multiple hardware platforms and input devices – be that over a touchscreen for iPad and iPhone, a keyboard and mouse for Mac, or a remote for Apple TV.
