Apple is about to release a new game app that will replace Game Center

Apple will pre-install a dedicated game app on Apple devices later this year. The software will act as a game launcher and centrally manage in-game achievements, leaderboards, communications and other activity functions. Apple also plans to launch a Mac version, when the software can access games downloaded from outside the App Store.

As Nintendo Switch 2 is about to debut, Apple quietly launched a "counterattack" against the game market, trying to assert sovereignty in a field it has never really dominated.

According to media reports on May 28, Apple will pre-install a dedicated game app on iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV set-top boxes later this year. The software will act as a game launcher and centrally manage in-game achievements, leaderboards, communications and other activity functions.

The new app will provide access to the App Store game section and promote the company's $6.99 per month Arcade subscription service. At the same time, it will replace the Game Center social network that was launched in 2010 but never gained real market recognition. It is worth noting that Apple also plans to launch a Mac version, which will be able to access games downloaded from outside the App Store.

On June 5, Nintendo Switch 2 will be officially released for $450. Apple will then officially release the software at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on June 9. As of Tuesday, Apple's stock price rose 2.53%.

The challenge of market perception remains

Although the new application may make Apple products easier to use in terms of games and make the game category more prominent, testers of the software said that this may not change the perception of players and high-end game makers.

The report pointed out that Apple is not generally regarded as a gaming giant, and many developers and players believe that Macs still have a lot to lose compared to Windows computers. The app is one of several features planned for the next version of iOS and will be released to users in September - around the same time as the next generation of iPhone product line.

As one of the most widely used gaming devices in the world, the game category has been at the core of the App Store since 2008. In recent years, developers have added high-end games such as "Resident Evil," "Death Stranding" and "Assassin's Creed."

Currently, about two-thirds of Apple's App Store revenue comes from games and in-app purchases, including tokens, levels and other in-game upgrades. The Mac platform has also made progress in recent years, with faster chips bringing better graphics performance, and Apple has released tools that make it easier for developers to port existing games to Mac.

As part of its gaming strategy, Apple has acquired RAC7 Games, a two-person studio that developed the hit game Sneaky Sasquatch.