Do you need an Apple device to use Apple Arcade?

Apple Arcade in the App Store running on multiple devices
Apple Arcade in the App Store running on multiple devices (Image credit: Apple)

Do you need an Apple device to use Apple Arcade?

Best Answer: Yes, Apple Arcade is only going to be available on Apple devices, including iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV. Apple Arcade is the newly announced gaming subscription service from Apple that focuses primarily on premium gaming experiences, so no freemium games with ads and in-app purchases will be found here.Get your game on: Apple Arcade (Price TBA)

So what is Apple Arcade?

Apple Arcade is Apple's very own gaming subscription service. With this subscription, you're paying a fixed rate every month for access to over 100 brand new and exclusive premium games from developers, which won't be available on any other platform.

All of the games that are included in Apple Arcade are premium experiences, basically titles that have an upfront cost and won't have any ads, in-app purchases, ad tracking, and will respect user privacy.

An active subscription to Apple Arcade allows you to try out all of these games without risk, so you don't even need to pay up front for each game either. You'll get the full experience, including all game features, content, and future updates, and there is no time limit on how long you can play these games for. Just as long as you're an active subscriber to Apple Arcade, you can play these games as long and as much as you want.

What devices do I need to be able to play these games?

You will at least one of the following: iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple TV. The Apple Arcade subscription grants you full access to all games on all of these platforms, and you can easily pick up where you last left off with iCloud game data syncing. There is also offline support, so you won't need a data connection to play these games.

Exclusivity is key with the games that are included in the Apple Arcade service. So any title that is a part of Apple Arcade will not be available on any other mobile platform, and you will need an Apple device in order to play it.

When will Apple Arcade launch?

Apple is launching Apple Arcade in Fall 2019, and it will be available in more than 150 countries. To access Apple Arcade, you'll just need to select a new tab in the App Store across iOS, macOS, and tvOS.

How much will Apple Arcade cost?

Oddly enough, Apple did not give out any pricing information on Apple Arcade during the event. If we had to guess though, it may be at least $10 a month or more, but it will also include Family Sharing for no additional cost, which is a bonus.

Christine Chan

Christine Romero-Chan was formerly a Senior Editor for iMore. She has been writing about technology, specifically Apple, for over a decade at a variety of websites. She is currently part of the Digital Trends team, and has been using Apple’s smartphone since the original iPhone back in 2007. While her main speciality is the iPhone, she also covers Apple Watch, iPad, and Mac when needed.

When she isn’t writing about Apple, Christine can often be found at Disneyland in Anaheim, California, as she is a passholder and obsessed with all things Disney, especially Star Wars. Christine also enjoys coffee, food, photography, mechanical keyboards, and spending as much time with her new daughter as possible.