Apple has chosen to cancel some contracts for games that were set to be part of Apple Arcade in a strategy shift.
As reported by Bloomberg, the tech giant got rid of agreements with a variety of developers earlier this year. The reason given was that they did not hit the levels of "engagement" that the company is looking for.
As a subscription service, Apple Arcade – which launched in September 2019 – needs to offer a range of titles to keep consumers interested beyond the one-month free trial they are entitled to. After that period, users need to pay $4.99; there is also the option of paying $49.99 for an annual membership.
Time to grow
So far, Apple has spent between $1 million and $5 million on having games developed exclusively for its subscription service. With its new direction in mind, the company has used puzzle-battler Grindstone as an example of what it would like to see created for its platform. Currently, there are 125 titles available.
"Apple Arcade has redefined what a gaming service can be, putting unlimited play at the fingertips of subscribers and their families across all their Apple devices," said Apple.
"We are proud to have launched the first-ever mobile game subscription service that now features more than 120 games, many of which are award-winning and widely celebrated for their artistry and gameplay. The vision has always been to grow and evolve the Apple Arcade catalogue, and we can't wait for our users to try the games developers are working on now."
Developers that did have their contracts cancelled were assured by Apple that, should they meet the new requirements, they can work together in the future.