According to a new report, Apple is developing a brand-new app dedicated solely to gaming, combining features from both the App Store and Game Center. This new gaming hub, which many expect to arrive either with future iOS 18 updates or as part of iOS 19, is being designed to cater to a rapidly growing gaming audience while enhancing the user experience for mobile gamers.

Apple’s interest in gaming is not new, but it has intensified over the years, especially with the launch of Apple Arcade in 2019. Arcade, a subscription-based service, offers exclusive games across iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV for a monthly fee of $6.99. While it was a step toward establishing Apple’s presence in gaming, the company is now planning to go further by creating a standalone gaming app that will provide a more robust and immersive experience.

Sources familiar with Apple’s internal developments have shared that this new gaming app won’t replace Game Center but will integrate with it. Game Center, Apple’s social gaming network, will sync with users’ profiles within the new app, making it a centralized hub for all gaming-related activities. Users will be able to access their game libraries, achievements, and multiplayer progress in one place, just like they would with popular gaming apps like the Xbox app or Steam.

The new app is expected to feature multiple tabs, each designed to streamline the gaming experience for users. One of the most anticipated tabs is the “Play Now” section, which will focus on curated game recommendations, personalized based on the user’s preferences and play history. This tab will also include editorial content such as game reviews, guides, and news on upcoming releases. Players will also find challenges, leaderboards, and achievements within this section, allowing them to track progress and compete with friends and fellow gamers.

Another tab will be dedicated to showcasing the user’s own game collection. This tab will offer quick access to titles installed on the device, as well as those linked to the user’s Game Center account. In addition, users can expect a tab for friends and multiplayer activities, where they can see what their friends are playing, view friends’ achievements, and set up multiplayer sessions with a few taps. The social aspect of gaming will also be enhanced through potential integration with FaceTime and iMessage, allowing users to easily communicate and strategize while playing games.

The app will feature games from both the App Store and Apple Arcade, bridging the gap between casual mobile gaming and Apple’s subscription-based offerings. Special gaming events, such as in-game challenges or seasonal events, will also be highlighted within the app, keeping users engaged with both single-player and multiplayer activities.

One of the more intriguing features Apple is reportedly experimenting with is the integration of App Clips within the new gaming app. App Clips are lightweight, fast-loading mini-apps that allow users to access specific features without downloading the full app. For gaming, this could mean that players might be able to try out mini-games, demos, or specific features of a game without having to download the entire title. This concept has already been explored by platforms like Google Play Instant and Nintendo Switch’s demo system, but Apple’s approach could streamline the experience even further, making game discovery easier for casual gamers.

Apple’s expansion into a more focused gaming ecosystem comes at an interesting time, as Microsoft and Epic Games are also ramping up their efforts in the mobile gaming space. In August 2024, Epic Games was finally able to launch its Epic Games Store on iOS, but only in the European Union. Due to ongoing legal battles over app store monopolies, third-party app stores have not yet been approved for U.S. users. Epic Games’ CEO Tim Sweeney has long been an outspoken critic of Apple’s walled-garden approach to the App Store, particularly regarding the 30% commission Apple takes on in-app purchases—a fee commonly referred to as the “Apple tax”.

Microsoft, too, has been eyeing the mobile gaming market with plans to introduce its own Xbox app store on Android. Apple’s decision to build a dedicated gaming hub could be seen as a response to these moves, an effort to solidify its place as a leader in the mobile gaming space and keep iOS users firmly within the Apple ecosystem.

The Cupertino giant has often been criticized for not taking gaming seriously, but with this new app, Apple is making it clear that it wants a bigger piece of the gaming pie. Whether it can successfully compete with the likes of Xbox, Steam, and Epic Games remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: the gaming landscape on iOS is about to change, and it’s about time.

(via 9to5Mac)

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