With Apple’s flagship Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) event a few weeks away, the company is signaling that it’s paying attention to the opportunity of mobile gaming.
Apple already has a subscription-based Arcade product for iOS, which gives users access to various mobile games, including cult-classic indie games like Stardew Valley. But per a Digital Trends report, the company is taking things a step further by acquiring its first game studio, RAC7, which makes the hit Apple Arcade game Sneaky Sasquatch.
Apple joins some other seemingly unlikely suspects in their investment in mobile gaming — Netflix, for example, acquired several gaming studios after launching Netflix Games in 2021, which makes cloud mobile gaming available to Netflix subscribers.
Meanwhile, Bloomberg confirmed a 9to5Mac report that Apple is developing a dedicated gaming app for iOS 19. The app will reportedly replace the Game Center app and integrate with Apple Arcade to host features like gaming leaderboards, recommendations, challenges, and social features. The new app could also integrate into iMessage or FaceTime to facilitate remote multiplayer gaming.
Apple’s additional investment in mobile gaming comes at a time when cloud gaming — which allows users to stream games to their devices without downloading massive files — is on the rise. Microsoft has been a leader in this shift with its Xbox Cloud Gaming offerings.
The acquisition doesn’t necessarily signal the beginning of a new gaming strategy for the tech giant. Apple notes that the move is a unique circumstance, as it saw an opportunity to help the team grow its game more on Apple Arcade. It says that it will continue to work with third-party studios big and small to create games for the service.
Though the partnership may come as a shock to those who haven’t been following Arcade closely since its launch, it’s less surprising in context. RAC7 is just one of a handful of indie studios who has consistently developed for the service since its launch alongside names like Lykke Studios and Triband Games.
Even if it’s a one-off acquisition, the move signals that Apple is still committed to its Arcade service, which continues to release new games on a monthly cadence. Recent additions have included a brand new Katamari Damacy game, a sequel to Xbox Live Arcade hit Space Invaders: Infinity Gene, and Apple Vision Pro exclusive Gears & Goo.
