It’s been a big week for tech and games, first with Google's new Stadia cloud-based gaming platform, and now, Apple Arcade. Announced Monday at Apple's live event in Cupertino, Apple Arcade is a new gaming subscription service for mobile, desktop, and TV.
Like the Xbox Game Pass or PlayStation Vue, a paid subscription grants you immediate access to the full lineup, which features wide variety of games from a mix of top tier and indie developers, including SEGA, Platinum Games, LEGO and many others. The short trailer shown with the reveal gave us a sneak preview of what's to come, including SEGA and HARDlight Studios's Sonic Racing and LEGO Brawls from LEGO/RED Games, but also a number of artistic and beautiful indie games that we couldn't be more excited about.
The game lineup will be updated regularly, and Apple has confirmed that there will be no micro-transactions and no ads on the platform—when you pay for a subscription to Apple Arcade, you get the whole thing. As for players who use multiple Apple devices, the company also confirmed that that you can jump from phone to iPad to Apple TV to Mac seamlessly and pick up where you left off, for total gaming convenience, online or off.
While the price has yet to be announced, Apple Arcade launches this fall alongside 100 exclusive titles, with more promised on the horizon.
Courtesy of Apple, here's the full list of games featured in the trailer above:
Little Orpheus by Sumo Digital/The Chinese Room
The Artful Escape by Annapurna Interactive/Beethoven & Dinosaur
The Pathless by Annapurna Interactive/Giant Squid
ATONE: Heart of the Elder Tree by Wildboy Studios
LEGO Brawls by LEGO/RED Games
Oceanhorn 2: Knights of the Lost Realm by Cornfox & Bros.
Sonic Racing by SEGA®/HARDlight Studios
Box Project by AQUIRIS
Frogger in Toy Town by Konami
Projection: First Light by Blowfish Studios/Shadowplay Studios
Mr. Turtle by Illusion Labs
FANTASIAN by Mistwalker Corporation
Enter The Construct by Directive Games Limited
Beyond a Steel Sky by Revolution Software
Sayonara Wild Hearts by Annapurna Interactive/Simogo
Hot Lava by Klei Entertainment
Cameron Sherrill is a former designer and writer for Esquire, where he covered technology and video games.
