Apple Arcade could be exactly what the mobile gaming industry needs

The mobile game industry is in a vastly different place in 2019 when compared to even only a few years ago. This is where Apple'due south upcoming recently revealed Apple Arcade mobile game subscription platform comes into play.

It's often difficult for even notable developers to get the attention their games deserve in Apple's crowded digital marketplace.

While Apple's redesigned, editorially-curated App Store has mitigated this event to an extent, if your game doesn't hit the radar of the department'due south team, it'southward unlikely your title will get a coveted 'Editors' Choice' or 'Game of the Day' slot.

Further, consumers are trained to expect mobile games to be totally complimentary. Because of this, the bulk of the biggest mobile titles out in that location, including Clash of Clans, Candy Beat and even Fortnite, are all free at the outset then monetized through in-app purchases.

Though not all gratuitous-to-play games feature frustrating, often overly aggressive in-app purchases, the majority do. While charging an outright cost for a game is even so an choice, few developers beyond those that have established relationships with Apple seem to adopt this strategy considering they already know their titles will receive prominent placement in the App Store.

Alto's Odyssey iPad mini

Fifty-fifty Nintendo has taken the complimentary-to-play road for the bulk of its mobile games, with Dragalia Lost and Fire Emblem Heroes beingness the ii main examples.

Alto's Odyssey creator Snowman, a developer with ties to Canada, is an excellent instance of one of the few remaining game creators that still charges an outright cost for a game, merely information technology besides typically receives prominent placement from Apple in the App Store.

Apple tree Arcade seems like an effort on the tech giant's part to offering developers a much-needed alternative way to earn coin from their games. Rather than charging per title, Arcade has subscribers shelling out a monthly subscription fee for access to over 100 mobile games.

With this in mind, though, many questions remain near Apple Arcade. For example, what cutting do developers get from existence included in the platform? Will game creators be given an outright lump sum of money and so be paid more based on engagement? What level of support is Apple providing in terms of funding, given that all games coming to the service volition be "original" and "exclusive to mobile," just still coming to other platforms in some cases?

The higher up questions are all likely to remain unanswered, given Apple and its third-party developer partners are notoriously tight-lipped when it comes to revealing how acquirement is split.

We're so grateful that Where Cards Fall has found a dwelling house on Apple tree Arcade. https://t.co/SBLK6fgpiD

— Where Cards Fall (@wherecardsfall) March 26, 2019

Perhaps the two most significant unknowns surrounding the service is how much Apple Arcade volition cost subscribers, also every bit what developers need to do to apply to join the platform? Electric current estimates run Apple Arcade'due south cost somewhere betwixt $nine and $15 CAD for subscribers.

It's also worth mentioning that Apple tree Arcade'southward goal is an apparent effort on Apple'southward office to become more games on the Apple tree Television set, macOS and Apple TV, though releasing a game across those platforms equally well as iOS is more of a recommendation than a requirement, co-ordinate to Apple tree.

There are other positive things about Apple Arcade equally well. Apple says all games included in the platform won't characteristic intrusive player tracking and that all Arcade titles will be playable offline. During the service's reveal earlier this week, Apple tree even used the fact that all Apple Arcade games volition be available offline as an opportunity to take a shot at Google's cloud-based Stadia platform.

There are also many notable developers signed up for the platform already, with Sim City creator Will Wright and Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi's Mistwalker being the first talent that come up to mind. Regarding Canadian developers, Saskatoon-based Noodlecake studios, Snowman, a studio with ties to Toronto and Vancouver-based Rac7 Games are already confirmed to exist part of Apple Arcade.

SplitterCritters game screen

I of Apple's main challenges with Arcade will be disarming those who oasis't taken mobile gaming seriously in the past to shell out the cash for the platform. Bringing on notable, big-name developers that have a reputation in the panel space could assistance with this.

Though we know very little well-nigh Apple Arcade right now beyond the basic outline of the service, it holds a tremendous amount of promise and could spur a shift in the mobile video game industry, including the Android space, if it ends upward living up to its potential.

Apple says Apple Arcade will include over 100 new and exclusive mobile titles and that information technology will launch in the fall of 2019 in 150 countries, including Canada.