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Apple Will Invest $500 Million in Apple Arcade

 

Apple is going full throttle on its first real foray into the gaming industry.

Apple is reportedly planning on spending at least half a billion dollars on its upcoming Apple video game subscription service, the Apple Arcade.

The announcement of Apple Arcade at last month’s keynote, along with other subscription services like Apple News Plus and Apple TV Plus, surprised some critics and fans due to the fact that the tech company never seemed to be interested in video games before.

However, analysts are saying that Apple’s decision is a wise move, as it “reflects growing interest in the industry from major tech companies,” according to Business Insider. Just recently, Google announced its own video game platform called Stadia with a special focus on streaming. Even Amazon is rumored to be developing its own platform and gaming service. With the way things are going right now, analysts are predicting that Apple Arcade’s revenue could reach $4.5 billion by 2024, a tad higher than the $4.1 billion predicted for the Apple TV Plus service.

Most of Apple’s $500 million budget is going to indie developers who are tasked to create games that will be exclusive to Apple Arcade. Established publishers, on the other hand, are apparently given incentives to make their next games Arcade-exclusive, at least for the first few months after the game’s release. Some of the confirmed video game publishers on Apple Arcade include Konami, SEGA, Cartoon Network, LEGO, Annapurna Interactive, Giant Squid, Bossa Studios, Klei Entertainment, Finji, Snowman, Mistwalker Corporation, ustwo games, along with dozens of other publishers.

Subscribing to the Apple Arcade will give users access to ad-free gaming, with no in-app purchase required, since all of the games on the platform will be free to subscribers. Subscribers will also be able to store the games permanently on their device and play them online or offline. Compatible devices are the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV.

The Apple Arcade is scheduled to launch this fall, with more than 100 games included. As of writing, the company hasn’t yet released any pricing details.

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