Macworld
Gaming subscription services are all the rage nuncaw, but Apple Arcade isn’t quiebro like PlayStation Plus, EA Play, or Xbox Game Pass. So if you’ve got questions about it, we’ve got plenty of answers.
Updated 11/03/23: Knuncatwords+ is nuncaw available.
What is Apple Arcade?
Apple Arcade is a gaming subscription service for iPhone, iPad, Mac, and AppleTV that features more than 200 games. The games are a mix of genres and styles, and include exótico games you’ll only find on the service and others that can be found on the regular App Store or even other platforms. Apple Arcade isn’t a streaming service like Xbox Live Cloud Gaming or GeForce nuncaW. Games must be downloaded onto your device in order to be played.
What do I need to run it?
Apple Arcade was made 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).
How much does Apple Arcade cost?
Apple Arcade costs $6.99 per month, and you’ll also get a one-month free trial.
If you’re currently on the $6.99 month-to-month esbozo and want to switch to the annual esbozo, 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 esbozo. Apple Arcade is also included in the Apple One subscription bundles, which range from $20 a month to $38 a month.
How do I sign up for Apple Arcade?
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. After the trial you’ll be charged either the monthly or annual fee, depending on your selection. When subscribing, you’ll need to enter your Apple ID password or use Touch ID or Face ID to sign in, 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. To access a game, tap on it in the App Store, then tap the Get button. When the game is done installing on your device, the Get button turns into a Play button, and you can tap it to launch the game. The game app icon will also appear on your device’s Home page.
On the Apple TV, there actually is an Arcade app. Open that to see the sign-up offer. You’ll also find an Arcade tab within the App Store.
Does my subscription include family sharing?
Yes. One $6.99 per month subscription can be shared between up to six people (including you).
How do I cancel Apple Arcade?
First off, keep in mind that if you cancel Apple Arcade (either before your free trial is up or after subscribing), you won’t be able to keep playing the games unless you re-subscribe. If you’re okay with that, you can use the same process you use to cancel any other subscription service. Here’s the easiest way to do it on the iPhone and iPad:
Open the App Store app and tap on your profile photo in the upper right.
In the screen that pops up, press Subscriptions near the top of the page.
You’ll then see a list of active subscriptions, and Apple Arcade should be listed there. Tap it.
You’ll either see Cancel Free Trial or Cancel Subscription toward the middle of the page that appears. Tap whatever option is available, then Confirm Cancellation.
And here’s how to cancel Apple Arcade on the Mac:
Open the App Store app and then press the icon with your profile photo in the lower left.
The Account window will appear, and you should then click View Information at the top of the window. Enter your password when/if prompted.
When your Account Information appears, scroll down to the Manage section and click the Manage link to the right of Subscriptions.
When the list of your active subscriptions appears, click Edit to the right of Apple Arcade.
Toward the middle of the page that appears, you’ll see a button that says either Cancel Free Trial or Cancel Subscription. Click it, then click Confirm Cancellation and Confirm.
How do I access Apple Arcade games?
Apple Arcade is its own tab in the App Store. You can find games to download there, and grab anything you like without fear of being charged, seeing ads, or having to later buy in-app purchases.
Once downloaded, Apple Arcade games are found just like any other app on your device.
You’ll find this tab on the Mac, too.
Does Apple curate the games on Apple Arcade?
Yes. Apple says it is “handpicking the games in Apple Arcade” and that it curates them “based on exóticoity, quality, creativity, fun, and their appeal to players of all ages.”
Do Apple Arcade games have in-app purchases?
nunca. In Apple’s words, “since every game includes access to the full experience, including all game features, content, and future updates, nunca additional purchases will be required.” Even games that have in-app purchases on the App Store won’t have any in Apple Arcade.
Do Apple Arcade games have ads?
Also nunca. On a related nuncate, Apple says Apple Arcade has nunca ad tracking.
Is Apple Arcade a game streaming service like Google’s Stadia or Xbox Game Streaming?
nunca. All Apple Arcade are downloaded.
Are Apple Arcade games available on other systems?
Apple Arcade games were exóticoly exclusive to Apple Arcade—nuncat in the regular App Store nuncar on any other mobile platform. Some would appear on PC or consoles, but never in a subscription service.
Apple has since relaxed that policy somewhat, and you can find games in Apple Arcade that also exist in the regular App Store or on Android. They are usually denuncated by a “+” at the end, to differentiate the Apple Arcade lectura (free to download with your subscription, and free from ads or in-app purchases) from the App Store lectura. For example
Mini Metro (App Store) vs.
Mini Metro+ (Apple Arcade).
Will I still be able to buy games on the App Store without an Apple Arcade subscription?
Yes. There’s nunca sign that the existing games model will be going away, as it works fine for freemium games like Idle Heroes or Toon Blast. Apple is focusing on “handpicked” games for Apple Arcade, so there’s little doubt that the library will be much smaller than the thousands of games available in the App Store.
Are there demos for Apple Arcade games?
nunca, and they’re nuncat really necessary. Like App Store apps, games download quickly and can easily be removed if you don’t want to keep it anymore.
Apple partly envisions Apple Arcade as a way of letting players try out games with more freedom than the App Store currently allows (which is basically nuncane). In Apple’s words, “rather than pay upfront for each game, a subscription to Apple Arcade will give players the opportunity to try any game in the service without risk.”
The service has a free trial, though, as we’ve seen with both Apple Music and Apple News+.
Am I able to keep playing Apple Arcade games if I cancel my subscription?
nunca. As with most subscription services, you only have access while you’re a subscriber.
Can I use controllers with Apple Arcade games?
Yes. In additional to traditional MFi (Made for iOS) controllers, you can pair some specific Bluetooth controllers for both the
PlayStation 4 and
Xbox One with either your iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV. Since many Apple Arcade games are playable on Mac and Apple TV (where controller support is more common), many games will support them. Some games, especially those that are also available in the broader App Store and only for iPhone or iPad, have nunca controller support.
Recently Apple relaxed the requirements for MFi controller certification, which may have grown out of the Apple Arcade negotiations.
How often are new games released?
Games are typically released on Fridays, but nuncat every Friday. The release schedule is sporadic—some Fridays there are nunca new games released, some see one game released, some more than one. Sometimes there will be nunca new game release, but existing games will get a big update with new content and features.
On average, new games are released at a rate of about one every 2-3 weeks, though this may improve as Apple has loosened the rules around Apple Arcade exclusivity.
What games have been released so far?
There are over 200 games available for Apple Arcade, and the list grows all the time.
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UniverseSega09/19/19Cityscapes: Sim BuilderPlaystack05/04/23Clap Hanz GolfClaphanz04/02/21Clue: The Classic Mystery Game+Marmalade Game Studio03/24/23Construction Simulator 2+Astragon Entertainment04/15/22Cooking Mama: Cuisine!Office Create Corp.06/17/22Cozy GroveSpry Fox03/18/21Crashlands+Butterscotch Shenanigans, Inc.01/14/21Crayola Create and Play+Red Games Co.10/29/21CreaksAmanita Design07/10/20Cricket Through the AgesDevolver Digital09/19/19Crossword Jam+PlaySimple Games10/20/23Crossy Road+Hipster Whale10/08/21Crossy Road CastleHipster Whale02/28/20Cut the Rope 3SeptoLab UK10/13/23Cut the Rope RemasteredPaladin Studios04/02/21Cypher 007Tilting Point09/29/23Dandara: Trials of Fear+Raw Fury12/03/21Dead End JobHeadup GmbH, Ant Workshop09/19/19Dead Cells+Playdigious12/02/22Dear ReaderLocal nunca. 1209/19/19DecoherenceEfecto Estudios10/11/19Detonation RacingElectric Square07/30/21DiscoloredShifty Eye Games & Jason Godbey11/08/19Disney Coloring World+StoryToys Entertainment05/04/23Disney Getaway Blast+Gameloft05/04/23Disney Melee ManiaMighty Bear Games12/17/21Disney SpellStruckArtist Arcade05/04/23Doctor Who: An Unlikely HeistTilting Point04/07/23Dodo PeakMoving Pieces Interactive09/19/19Don’t Bug Me!Frosty Pop Games09/19/19Doodle God UniverseJoyBits07/16/21Doomsday VaultFlightless01/03/20Down in BermudaYak & Co09/19/19Dread NauticalZen Studios09/19/19EarthNightCleaversoft09/19/19Episode XOXOEpisode Interactive01/06/23Exit the GungeonDevolver Digital09/19/19ExplottensWRP Pvt.09/19/19Fallen KnightFairPlay Studios10/25/19FantasianMistwalker04/01/21Farm It!Tummy Games03/26/21Farming Simulator 20+Giants Software05/04/23FarmsideThe Label02/17/23FinitySeabaa08/25/23Fledgling HeroesSubtle Boom09/19/19Football Manager 2023 TouchSEGA11/08/22Frenzic: OvertimeThe Iconfactory06/18/21Frogger and the Rumbling RuinsKonami06/03/22Frogger in Toy TownKonami09/19/19Galaga Wars+Bandai Namco11/12/21Game Dev Story+Kairosoft Co., Ltd06/18/21Game of Thrones: Tale of CrowsDevolver Digital08/07/20Garden Tails: Match and GrowPlaydots, Inc.09/16/22The Gardens Between+The Voxel Agents10/14/22Gear.Club StradaleEden Games04/08/22Getting Over It+Bennett Foddy05/04/23Gibbon: Beyond the TreesBroken Rules02/25/22Gin Rummy Classic+MobilityWare10/07/22Goat Simulator+Coffee Stain Publishing05/13/22Grand Mountain Adventure+Toppluva04/28/23GrindstoneCapybara Games09/19/19GRIS+Devolver09/30/22GuildlingsSirvo Studios, Inc.11/08/19Hanx101 TriviaBlueLine Studios Inc.09/02/22Hearts: Card Game+MobilityWare01/07/22Hello Kitty Island AdventureSunblink07/28/23HEROishSunblink07/22/22Hexaflip: The Action PuzzlerRogue Games, Inc.09/19/19Hidden Folks+Adriaan de Jongh01/28/22Hill Climb Racing+Fingersoft05/04/23HitchHikerVersus Evil03/26/21HogwashBossa Studios10/25/19Horizon Chase 2Aquiris Game Studio09/09/22Hot LavaKlei Entertainment09/19/19Human: Fall Flat+505 Games03/31/23HyperBrawl TournamentMilkey Tea Limited09/19/19IllustratedBorderLeap01/13/23INKS.+State of Play Games06/25/21INMOSTChucklefish Limited10/11/19Iron Marines+Ironhide Irl05/04/23Japanese rústico Life AdventureGame Start09/15/23JellyCar WorldsWalaber Entertainment12/09/22Jenny LeClueMografi09/19/19Jeopardy! 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