Announced during this year’s WWDC 2019 back in June, Apple’s subscription-based gaming platform Apple Arcade garnered some press in the follow weeks that followed its introduction; talks have died down a bit since then, but it looks like Apple Arcade is back on the list of conversation topics.
According to 9to5Mac, who had early access to Apple Arcade, the gaming platform will likely be priced at USD4.99 per month. The reports say that some digging around in the service’s API revealed a promotional message advertising the USD4.99 subscription fee.
9to5Mac also notes that the service will allow access to all members in a Family Sharing account, and will ship with a one-month free trial.
In Malaysian Ringgit, the fee is still affordable; but the question lies in whether we need a pay-to-play mobile gaming platform, especially when the current free-to-play model is so successful – think PUBG Mobile, Candy Crush, Mobile Legends and more.
Sure, Apple Arcade engages with developers globally to create exclusive titles like The Pathless, Oceanhorn 2, Beyond a Steel Sky and more. They’ll boast more polish than your casual free-to-play titles for sure, but with the Nintendo Switch being as prominent as it is in the portable gaming scene, gamers may not even bat an eye at what Apple is offering.
In any case, Apple Arcade is expected to arrive later this year, not long after the launch of iOS 13, which is touted for a mid-September date.