Apple Arcade is Apple’s subscription-based gaming service where users can get access to a library of exclusive and ad-free games. But things may not be going too well for developers behind some of the Apple Arcade titles, according to numerous sources who spoke to mobilegamer.
According to the report, multiple studios who develop games for Apple Arcade are frustrated with how the company is treating the platform. Perhaps alarmingly, one unnamed developer describes the environment around the service as one on the edge of total collapse. However, another developer was less pessimistic, arguing that Apple Arcade is edging closer toward a reboot that would see it orientating toward “big family-friendly IP” instead of original titles.
Apple is allegedly paying developers less sums of money for games developed for Apple Arcade, the report adds. Some developers reiterate an unpredictable difficulty in dealing with Apple, though they note that this is to be expected with a big company. Some common complaints include the company’s sudden disinterest in certain games even if they are performing well. Apple’s metrics for calculating per-play bonus payments for each game are reportedly vague, and the company’s marketing support is difficult to get hold of with long waiting times. Others describe their relationship with the company as a “very positive and lucrative” experience.
However, this relationship can quickly deteriorate if Apple finds out developers are working on other titles for competing services, such as Netflix’s recent push for gaming or Google Play Pass. Netflix Games first launched in 2021, and allows existing Netflix subscribers to play original titles and licensed games at no extra cost. Apple is reportedly concerned about the impact of Netflix Games, and has been considering another reboot for Apple Arcade to compel more game studios away from the video streaming giant.
On the other hand, some developers that mobilegamer spoke to describe their tie-in with Apple Arcade as positive from the start. Almost all titles on the service were profitable since its initial launch, but dwindling upfront and per-play payouts since around October 2020 remain a concern for some game studios. Nevertheless, Apple Arcade has provided a “lifeline” for certain developers, who argue that they wouldn’t continue to exist today without the service.
Overall, many Apple Arcade developers echo a similar sentiment that the service’s problems boil down to an uninterested senior leadership at Apple. One developer argues that the company is much more focused on Apple TV+ and Apple Music, with Apple Arcade treated as a second-tier service within the company.
Apple Arcade first launched in September 2019 as part of iOS 13 and macOS Catalina. Today, the service features over 200 titles that are free of any ads and in-app purchases. Originally priced at $4.99 per month in the United States, the service received its first price hike in October to now cost $6.99 per month. Apple Arcade is also included as part of the Apple One subscription bundle, which starts at $19.95 per month and includes iCloud+, Apple TV+, Apple Music, and Apple Arcade.
