Six years after launch, Apple Arcade is striving for a bigger audience

"In 2019, Apple Arcade launched with roughly 70 premium mobile games that had no ads, no in-app purchases, and no sex or violence. Some of the games in the initial launch period, like What the Golf?, were praised for their innovation and depth beyond what's typically expected of mobile games. In the six years since, Apple Arcade has grown its game offerings, and while it maintains its credo of family-friendly content, its library no longer garners the same critical praise."

"Alongside Netflix's mobile games subscription service, it seems that Apple Arcade has shifted its focus toward titles that offer endless engagement with little depth. However, Apple Arcade senior director Alex Rothman doesn't necessarily see that as the case. Instead, he says the shift has come from trying to satisfy such a varied audience. "Apple has a very large customer base," said Rothman. "There's no narrow lane that we can operate in and satisfy the broad base of Apple users.""

Apple Arcade launched in 2019 with roughly 70 premium mobile games that had no ads, no in-app purchases, and restrictions on sexual content and violence. Early titles such as What the Golf? received praise for innovation and depth beyond typical mobile offerings. Over six years the Arcade library expanded while losing some critical acclaim. The service appears alongside Netflix's mobile games and seems to emphasize endlessly engaging titles with limited depth. Apple Arcade senior director Alex Rothman states the apparent shift reflects efforts to satisfy a very large and varied Apple customer base. That broad base has led to a multifaceted strategy.

Read at The Verge