Apple will reportedly continue its slow but steady expansion into gaming with the launch of a new gaming-centric iOS app that brings together features like the store, recommendations, achievements, and social features into one place.
that is According to 9to5 Mac, a news website that focuses on AppleCiting “reliable sources familiar with the matter,” the company reported that the company is currently developing a new gaming app that combines the functionality of the iOS App Store and Game Center services.
9to5 Mac says the new app will integrate with users’ Game Center profiles rather than replace the service, providing a centralized place to view content like challenges, leaderboards, and achievements. These features were previously available as part of a dedicated Game Center app, but that app was removed from iOS in 2016, and Apple hid some of the service’s remaining features in the operating system’s App Store and settings.
Assuming 9to5’s sources are accurate, it sounds like Apple’s new gaming-focused apps will build on its earlier Game Center vision, according to the site, with options specifically targeting a user’s game library, friends, and more card to extend this concept. It will also reportedly offer purchasable App Store and Apple Arcade games, as well as a “Play Now” tab with editorial content and game recommendations, as well as a section dedicated to gaming events and important updates.
There’s also talk of potential FaceTime and iMessage integration, presumably to provide a more formal means of communication between players, and mini-games made by other developers using App Clips are reportedly also under consideration. 9to5 says this should all be similar in practice to the Xbox app on iPhone, where players can search for new games and view their status, friends’ activity and game library in one place.
As for when the app will be released, 9to5 said it’s unclear whether Apple is waiting to release it as part of next year’s major iOS 19 release, or if it could appear in a future iOS 18 update.
Either way, it marks another small step in Apple’s slow-moving gaming strategy, which so far includes the launch of Apple Arcade gaming subscription service in 2019 and the launch of Apple Arcade to help developers easily port Mac games to iOS. There are new tools and even a push to attract major publishers like Capcom and Ubisoft to its platform – although the latter, considering bringing full-priced AAA games like Resident Evil 7, Death Stranding and Assassin’s Creed Phantoms to iOS The effect doesn’t seem to be very good, with users reportedly failing.
Apple’s creation of a gaming app store, with features heavily integrated into iOS, will also help the company keep users focused on its products as it faces increasing competition from the likes of the Epic Games Store and Microsoft in the wake of EU regulations. competition. Allows sideloading and alternative markets on their devices.