During its showcase event at the Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino, Calif., Apple introduced Apple Arcade, the newest gaming subscription service set to debut this fall.
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The ad-free service will be accessible through the App Store, offering more than 100 new and exclusive games, such as Sonic Racing, Beyond a Steel Sky, and Hot Lava. With a subscription, users can play as much as they like without ad tracking and in-app purchases. There’s also the ability to play across Apple devices, allowing players to switch devices and pick up where they left off.
“Competing with free is hard,” said Ann Thai, director of product management for the App Store, at the event. “We think we’ve come up with a great new way to bring these games to more people than ever before.”
Apple’s new gaming venture comes nearly a week after Google announced its new service, Stadia. However, unlike its cloud-based competitor, Apple Arcade games are meant to be installed from a special tab on the App Store allowing for offline play, whereas Stadia boosts the ability to play wherever there’s an internet connection.
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The gaming service will launch in more than 150 countries this fall, along with other products and services that were announced Monday morning. Apple also unveiled its new television subscription service, Apple TV Plus, a branded credit card, and its news subscription service, Apple News.
[Images courtesy of Apple]
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