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Apple Arcade Might Just Be The Best Deal In Gaming

Last Updated September 23, 2020 1:03 PM
Thomas Bardwell
Last Updated September 23, 2020 1:03 PM

In anticipation of Apple Arcade’s launch tomorrow, Apple has been kind enough to grant access to the platform to a selection of media outlets.

The reviews are in, and the consensus is that Apple is on the right track. Much of the praise centers on a strong lineup of exclusive games and a subscription that appears well worth the monthly cost.

A Lineup of Quirky Exclusives

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frLeePH8W9Y

Yes, most of them are indies that the average Apple device owner has likely never heard of, but the tech giant has done well to curate a catalog that features a broad range of titles that offer innovative takes on the mobile gaming genre while being easy to play.

Don’t get me wrong, these aren’t the titles that those accustomed to AAA games will flock to, but their uniqueness and charm are enough to warrant investigating.

Tactical survival game Overland, bizarre arcade-like racer-come-fighter Sayonara Wild Hearts, and odd stealth title Sneaky Sasquatch are but a sample of the oddities Apple is lining up for the service.

In many ways, these are games we wouldn’t see anywhere else thanks to the financial backing of Apple, who’s promised to support developers. This degree of security gives them the freedom to develop games with quirks and oddities usually sidelined in favor of monetization mechanics.

Apple Arcade Could Change Perceptions Within The Gaming Sphere

An oft-leveled criticism is that Apple is out of touch with the gaming world, but Apple Arcade’s selection does well to dispel that notion as one of the most-complete mobile packages available today.

For the cost of most standalone mobile games, $4.99 per month, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better deal. The subscription includes access to all the games in the library (100+ by the end of Fall) and supports play on up to six different devices, hammering home the concept of Apple Arcade as a family subscription.

It offers access to quality games that would usually fall to the wayside among the thousands of money-grabbing swindlers that parade as games littering the App Store. It’s also worth noting that the absence of in-app monetization or tedious ads is a welcome boon for mobile gamers.

If subscription fatigue has set in and committing to the $4.99 wards you off, then you’ll be happy to hear Apple is running a free one month trial starting from tomorrow. No harm in trying, right?

Apple Arcade Just Might Be The Best Deal In Gaming
Source: Apple Arcade/Apple

The Rise of Mobile Gaming

The timing is also in Apple Arcade’s favor as mobile gaming continues to expand its reach across the globe.

Last year, revenue from mobile gaming accounted for more than 50% of global gaming sales at an estimated  $70.3 billion, a number that is only set to grow exponentially moving forward. For the first half of 2019 alone, mobile gaming racked in $29.6 billion.

Although exact figures are hard to come by, an estimated 2.5 billion people play games regularly, and a considerable portion play on mobile.

And it makes sense. Smartphones are ubiquitous across the globe and don’t require the investment needed for a gaming PC or console. They are the single most impactful factor in ensuring accessibility to gaming, and Apple appears all too conscious of the fact with Apple Arcade.