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Apple Arcade's future in question amid allegedly canceled projects & reduced dev payouts

In addition to declining developer payouts, Apple Arcade is apparently greenlighting less original projects over established family-friendly IP.

TJ Denzer

February 29, 2024 3:15 PM

Image via Apple

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Recent rumors suggest that between canceled projects, declining developer payouts, and stricter guidelines for inclusion in the program, the future of Apple Arcade may be in doubt. When Apple Arcade launched in 2019, it sounded like an Xbox Game Pass-like service for Apple products that would allow users access to a wide range of curated mobile games and experiences. However, while Apple Arcade has brought some delightful titles to its ecosystem, it may not be as healthy and striving as Apple wants it to be.

Word of Apple Arcade’s supposed dilemma comes from a recent report at mobilegamer.biz. According to multiple anonymous sources that spoke with the outlet, the general mood on Apple Arcade between Apple and developers looking to submit their game to the service has been dour. Mobilegamer reported one developer saying there was a “smell of death” around the service, while others mentioned that Apple has been apparently whispering of a reboot for the service. If that wasn’t alarming enough, Apple has also supposedly tightened its restrictions on the games it will greenlit, shying away from original titles in favor of established all-ages IP.

If the mood around Apple Arcade wasn’t bad enough, it’s apparently made worse by the competition from the recently established Netflix Games. Netflix has made plays to deliver a similar service to subscribers that includes quite a few exclusives for the platform. Netflix was able to get Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy for Netflix Games and just recently announced it was partnering with Ubisoft to launch Rainbow Six SMOL on the platform. Apple has reportedly been critical of developers that sign with Netflix’s gaming service over Apple, or in addition attempting to deal with Apple Arcade.

Despite these issues, there’s still value in Apple Arcade. Hello Kitty Island Adventure was a strong offering on the service in 2023, winning our Modojo @ Shacknews Mobile Game of the Year Award. Nonetheless, with the situation looking more difficult, it will be interesting to see how things proceed with Apple Arcade. Stay tuned as we continue to follow this story for further updates.

TJ Denzer

Senior News Editor

TJ Denzer is a player and writer with a passion for games that has dominated a lifetime. He found his way to the Shacknews roster in late 2019 and has worked his way to Senior News Editor since. Between news coverage, he also aides notably in livestream projects like the indie game-focused Indie-licious, the Shacknews Stimulus Games, and the Shacknews Dump. You can reach him at tj.denzer@shacknews.com and also find him on Twitter @JohnnyChugs.