Apple Arcade explained: games list, price, platforms and how to get it

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Apple perhaps pulled off a bit of a shock in spring 2019 by launching its own games subscription service, Apple Arcade. However, the move made sense considering the company’s expansion into services generally, and the library of titles it includes has expanded and improved ever since.

It effectively offers more than 200 of the best gaming apps around, that are playable across multiple Apple platforms and with no hidden costs – there are no in-app add-ons to purchase and no advertising.

What is Apple Arcade and how much does it cost?

Much like Xbox Game Pass for Xbox owners, Nintendo Switch Online for Switch gamers, and PS Plus Extra/Premium for PlayStation consoles, Apple Arcade is an all-you-can-eat games service that works across Apple devices. You pay a single monthly fee and can download and play any of the 200+ games on offer.

New games are added to the catalogue all the time, while some are removed occasionally (when licences run out, generally). There are games for kids, adults, RPGs, puzzle games, action-adventures and a whole lot more besides (you can see the current game list below).

The one thing that ties all the games together is that the Apple Arcade version has no in-app purchasing nor adverts. You get the entire game, including any add-ons, as part of the same monthly fee.

Apple Arcade price

Apple Arcade costs £4.99 / $4.99 per month if you subscribe to the service directly. However, it is also available in different bundles that represent better value for money.

For example, an Apple One subscription costs £16.95 / $16.95 per month but, as well as Apple Arcade, it includes Apple Music, TV+, and 50GB of iCloud storage.

Apple One is also available as part of a family subscription, so for £22.95 / $22.95 per month, you get Music, TV+ and Arcade, as above, but can share them with up to five family members. In addition, the iCloud storage is bumped up to 200GB.

Finally, a Premier option is available for Apple One. It costs £32.95 / $32.95 per month for full family access, but ups the iCloud storage further – to 2TB. It also includes Fitness+ and News+ on top.

Apple Arcade and Apple One subscriptions are available for a one-month free trial period to all new customers. Those who buy an Apple device get three-months free to try it out first.

What devices work with Apple Arcade?

Apple Arcade works across all Apple devices – iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and Mac. What’s more, you can play a game on one of them and pick up your saved progress on another.

Many listed games therefore can be played either by touchscreen controls or using a supported wireless controller (such as an Xbox Wireless Controller linked to an Apple TV via Bluetooth).