What is Apple Arcade?

Apple Arcade brings a video game subscription service to users within the company’s vast ecosystem of products.

Subscribers get access to over 200 games on their favorite Apple devices for a flat monthly fee. This is great news for both game lovers and families with children who always want new content. It will help to keep the monthly App Store bill a bit lower.

Best of all, with Apple Arcade, you don’t need to worry about annoying ads or in-app purchases.

Step forward with us as we explore exactly what Apple Arcade is, how to access it from your favorite devices, what games are available, and how much it costs per month.

Image courtesy of Apple Inc.

Designed for Apple devices, subscribers can only access Apple Arcade from such.

If you wish to enjoy Apple Arcade games, you can do so from an iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Mac, or Apple TV. The service is not available on other platforms, such as Android, ChromeOS, Roku, Fire TV, or Windows devices.

You’ll also need to ensure that your device runs iOS 13, iPadOS 13, macOS Catalina, or tvOS 13, or later. Devices running older operating systems will not be able to access Apple Arcade, so be sure to upgrade if possible for your device.

Remember, Apple Arcade will require you to download games before you play, so be sure to keep an eye on the best internet service providers in your area for fast and reliable speeds.

To access Apple Arcade on an iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch, merely open the App Store, then navigate to the Apple Arcade tab at the bottom of the screen.

For Mac users, simply open the App Store, then navigate to the Apple Arcade section on the left-hand side of the window.

Lastly, Apple TV users can access the service via the Apple Arcade application on the device’s home screen.

What can you play on Apple Arcade?

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Apple Arcade offers a healthy selection of games ranging across a variety of categories.

Available categories include action, adventure, board, card, casual, family, music, puzzle, racing, role-playing, simulation, sports, strategy, and word games. There is something for everyone to play and enjoy.

If you’re a hard-core gamer, you’ll be thrilled to know that you can also connect third-party controllers such as those from your PlayStation or Xbox via Bluetooth for a more tactile experience.

Some of the top games currently available on Apple Arcade:

Image courtesy of Electric Square.

Apple Arcade subscribers will find themselves paying either $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year. Subscribers can also access Apple Arcade through the Apple One bundle, which provides several Apple services for a low monthly fee.

If you’ve never tested out Apple Arcade, we recommend accessing the free 1-month trial, after which the service will automatically be billed at its $4.99 per month price.

It’s important to note that if your Apple account is set up with a family sharing, up to five other users can take advantage of the service—excellent for families with kids.

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While free-to-play games can be a boatload of fun, many come with perils, such as endlessly annoying advertisements and constant calls to purchase in-game content.

We love that Apple Arcade offers a wide selection of games without any annoyances. We find Apple Arcade to be a fantastic deal at its current $4.99 per month price tag.

The primary downside is the lack of support for non-Apple products such as Android, ChromeOS, Fire TV, Roku, and Windows devices. Thus, this service will only appeal to Apple users.

If you are a lover of mobile video games or find yourself underwater when it comes to your family’s mobile video game purchases, Apple Arcade is an excellent solution.

Don’t forget to try out the free 1-month trial before subscribing.