Game Developers Decry Apple Arcade's Decline, Cite 'Smell of Death'

Some game developers are dissatisfied with Apple Arcade due to concerns about the future of the subscription service, a new report claimed.

Apple Arcade's Uncertain Future: Navigating the Tumultuous Waters of Gaming Investments

Mobilegamer.biz was informed by sources that Apple's games subscription service emanated a "smell of death" and that the company's focus on games contrasts with its investments in television and music. "At the very top of the company, there needs to be a passion and respect for games, and there just isn't," according to a developer. "It all depends on how much buy-in there is from those guys at the top, and I don't think they really value Arcade or invest in it the same way you see them invest in music or TV."

Initially, the service advertised substantial initial payments to developers. It appears that the majority of games released on Apple Arcade during the service's early years generated a profit, thereby saving studios' lives. "Notwithstanding its flaws, we are overjoyed that Arcade even exists. "Apple's support has enabled the viability of premium games on mobile devices," explained one executive from a game studio, adding that the company could not exist without Apple's assistance.

Payouts to developers by Apple Arcade, according to the report, have been declining for a number of years, with a significant decline beginning in October 2020. It has been reported that both upfront payments and the per-play "bonus pool" have decreased, and Apple is evasive regarding the calculation of these amounts. "They have this opaque metric that they call a qualifying session, and bonus pool payments are made based on that," according to a source. "However, the precise definition of a qualifying session is unknown; it varies according to factors such as the game's release date, the player's duration of participation, and the frequency of their returns." Indeed, it is a black capsule."

"App Store Greats" are only eligible to receive contributions to the incentive pool and are not eligible for upfront compensation. Games with shorter narratives and premium independent titles generate less revenue as a result than those with greater long-term retention. This appears to account for the gradual depletion of specific game genres available on the platform. Furthermore, Apple's commissioning decisions appear to have shifted significantly toward prominent family-friendly intellectual properties, with one to two new "App Store Greats" being added each month. A scarcity of original games are approved for the service unless they satisfy the aforementioned criteria.

While certain developers expressed favorable sentiments regarding their association with the company, others characterized it as "vengeful" or "spiteful" in its interactions. Certain developers assert that the "Apple Arcade" team fails to provide straightforward communication regarding its strategy shift and overall orientation, frequently ceasing to respond to emails. "I got the sense they didn't really know where they were going with it all – almost like they weren't sure if they'd have jobs at the end of it," according to a studio representative.

The Struggle for Visibility: Developers Battle for Recognition on Apple Arcade

Developers also expressed challenges they encountered in securing marketing support or acquiring features on the App Store, despite the lack of success their games were experiencing on Apple Arcade, as per MacRumors. "We must essentially beg Apple to feature us. Obtaining that banner to appear at the top is comparable to forcing blood from a stone," continued one developer.

In April 2021, Apple "rebooted" the subscription service, resulting in the cancellation of numerous initiatives. Apple may have been prompted to contemplate a second "Apple Arcade" reboot by Netflix's competitive move into gaming subscriptions, according to some developers; however, the service's long-term viability remains uncertain.

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