Apple is set to make a significant push into the gaming space with the announcement of a dedicated gaming app at its Worldwide Developers Conference on June 9, 2025.
According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the new app will be preinstalled across Apple's entire ecosystem - iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV - and will launch alongside the upcoming iOS 26 and other operating system updates later this year. The platform aims to unify Apple's fragmented gaming experience by replacing Game Center, which debuted in 2010 but never gained significant traction.
The new gaming hub will feature five tabs: Home, Arcade, Play Together, Library, and Search. It will serve as a centralized launcher for games while providing achievements, leaderboards, and communication tools. The app will also include editorial content with game recommendations and highlight special gaming events and updates.
For Mac users, the app offers additional functionality by allowing access to games downloaded outside the App Store, potentially bridging the gap between Apple's ecosystem and the broader PC gaming world. The company is also reportedly exploring integration with FaceTime and iMessage to enhance multiplayer experiences, as well as the possibility of mini-game demos through App Clips.
This move comes at a strategic time for Apple, with gaming representing approximately two-thirds of App Store revenue through games and in-app purchases. The new app will prominently feature Apple Arcade, the company's $6.99/month subscription service launched in 2019, which offers over 200 games without ads or in-app purchases.
The timing of the announcement is particularly notable, coming just days after Nintendo's Switch 2 launch on June 5, suggesting Apple's determination to establish itself as a serious contender in the gaming market. This initiative, along with Apple's recent acquisition of game studio RAC7 (developers of Sneaky Sasquatch), signals the company's growing commitment to gaming as a key component of its services strategy.