Apple Arcade Goes Live to Beta Testers
Today Apple’s Apple Arcade video game streaming service launched in limited fashion to iOS 13.1 beta testers ahead of Thursday’s launch.
Currently, only 53 games are available on the service, with more to come soon. Apple says that eventually, over 100 games will be available on Apple Arcade.
The service launches officially on September 19.
Apple Arcade will allow you to play games offline while on the go. But thsis means that your iOS device have enough storage to hold every Apple Arcade. All 53 of the initial Apple Arcade games that appear on the service today occupy less space than 4GB. But if you want to download all 53 of the games currently available for offline play, you will need roughly 49GB.
Let's see some of the game titles available today.
In “The Enchanted World,” players take on the role of a fairy who uses puzzles and challenges to piece back together her collapsing world. For creators and friends Ivan Ramadan and Amar Zubcevic, both 33, the game is much more than that: It’s a metaphor for a child growing up in a time of war. Both Ramadan and Zubcevic grew up in Sarajevo during the conflicts in the Balkans in the 1990s, and both had parents that used creativity to shield them from the violence and danger around them. The game, published in conjunction with developer Noodlecake, features the music and folklore of the Balkans.
In Borderleap’s “Patterned,” players color intricate puzzle pieces and arrange them to complete a satisfying canvas. Nate Dicken, 43, the solo developer behind the outfit in Blacksburg, Virginia, created the game as a method of finding calm. The varied patterns were sourced from 15 designers around the world — 14 of whom are women. Nate created “Patterned” exclusively for Apple Arcade.
“Overland” is a post-apocalyptic road trip adventure game from Finji, co-founded by Adam and Bekah Saltsman, 37 and 38, respectively. The couple, who live in Grand Rapids, Michigan with their two young sons, modeled “Overland” after a mishmash of their favorite classic board games, books and films. Players drive west across a rapidly deteriorating United States, rescuing survivors, scavenging for supplies and occasionally inviting a stray dog along for the ride.
In “Card of Darkness,” players solve card-based challenges that feature hand-drawn characters with a sense of humor. Solo developer Zach Gage, 34, teamed up with legendary animator Pendleton Ward to bring this game to life. Gage has spent his life making video games and art. When the first iPhone was released, he saw an opportunity.