Apple is reportedly planning to roll out a new Xbox-like gaming app across Apple TV, Mac, iPad and iPhone later this year. The company has also acquired its first game studio.
The app will showcase games from the App Store and Apple Arcade – its game subscription service – while featuring editorial content.
It will integrate Game Center and centralize all gaming-related features, including achievements, leaderboards, challenges, and more.
- "The company will preinstall the app on the iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV set-top box later this year, according to people with knowledge of the matter. The software will serve as a launcher for titles and centralize in-game achievements, leaderboards, communications and other activity, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the plans haven’t been announced," reported Mark Gurman, Bloomberg.
Xbox-like gaming app
In October 2024, 9to5Mac revealed details about the project, saying the app will have "a 'Play Now' tab, a tab for the user’s games, friends, and more", which makes it sound similar to the Apple Music app, but just dedicated to games.
The app will reportedly integrate with iMessage and FaceTime to enable communication and display friends’ online status.
9to5Mac described it as an Xbox-like app. However, Apple does not currently seem to have any plans for cloud gaming. Bloomberg painted it as a response to the Nintendo Switch 2 console. The move could also be seen as a direct alternative to Netflix's growing gaming ambitions.
The app is expected to be unveiled next month alongside tvOS 19, iOS 19, iPadOS 19 and the next macOS version. For gaming to truly shine on Apple TV, new hardware would be required, which is rumored for 2025.
Also read: Apple TV's path to becoming a real game console
Apple acquires its first game studio
In a potentially related move, Apple has acquired its first game studio RAC7, the developer behind the popular Sneaky Sasquatch, an Apple Arcade exclusive.
- "We love Sneaky Sasquatch and are excited that the 2-person RAC7 team has joined Apple to continue their work on it with us," an Apple spokesperson confirmed to Digital Trends. "We will continue to deliver a great experience for Apple Arcade players with hundreds of games from many of the best game developers in the world."
Sneaky Sasquatch is exclusive to Apple Arcade. Photo: RAC7 / Apple
Apple framed the acquisition as a unique case. It was said to be an opportunity to support the RAC7 team in expanding Sneaky Sasquatch.
With Apple's growing gaming ambitions, partnerships bringing titles like Resident Evil, Death Stranding and Assassin’s Creed to its platforms, increased focus on GPU performance, and its investment in Apple TV+ originals through its own Apple Studios, this week's game studio acquisition seems deliberately downplayed by the company. We may learn more at WWDC 2025 next month.
- Source: Bloomberg, DigitalTrends, 9to5Mac
