Apple expands gaming strategy with premium titles and ports

Apple is intensifying its efforts to establish itself as a major gaming platform by expanding beyond its Apple Arcade subscription service. Carson Oliver, the head of App Stores, stated that the company is seeing significant growth in premium games on the App Store, with more being released this year than last.

The strategy focuses on attracting established developers and publishers to bring console and PC titles to mobile devices. Recent showcases, such as ‘Indie Games Week’, highlighted upcoming titles for iPhone and iPad, including No Man’s Sky, Sifu, and Dome Keeper.

Apple’s broader gaming ecosystem now integrates four key pillars: the Apple Arcade subscription catalog, individual premium game purchases, hardware capable of running demanding ports, and dedicated discovery tools. While specific revenue for Apple Arcade remains undisclosed, the company reported over 50 new Arcade games in 2025 and maintains a massive distribution base with over 850 million average weekly App Store users.