What’s the point of Apple Arcade gaming service of more than 100 games across iOS, macOS, and tvOS devices?

“Apple recently introduced Apple Arcade, a subscription gaming service that will arrive this fall. The platform will feature a library of over 100 games, including exclusive titles from SimCity creator Will Wright and Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi,” Leo Sun writes for The Motley Fool. “It will be available in over 150 countries and the games will be playable without a constant internet connection. None of the games will feature ads or microtransactions in which players pay for add-ons.”
“Apple is helping fund development of the platform’s exclusive games, which can be accessed from iOS, macOS, and tvOS devices via an iCloud account. Players can save their progress on one device and continue playing on another one if a file is backed up to the cloud. Apple hasn’t announced the price yet,” Sun writes. “But can the company turn Apple Arcade into a serious contender in the increasingly crowded market for subscription gaming services?”

 
“Apple Arcade seems like an elegant solution to two issues. First, many mobile games are swamped with “pay to win” microtransactions and ads. A subscription-based walled garden can eliminate those issues and nurture the development of higher-quality games,” Sun writes. “Second, it reduces Apple’s dependence on its standard 30% cut of App Store revenues… Apple Arcade might not become a hit product or a major profit driver on its own, but it could tighten Apple’s grip on its customers and keep them locked into its walled garden.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Reporting from “inside” Apple’s walled garden: If this is what “locked in” is, please throw away the key!
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Apple Arcade could be a sleeper hit – March 28, 2019
Apple introduces Apple Arcade – world’s first game subscription service for mobile, desktop and the living room – March 25, 2019