Apple recently promoted Carson Oliver to head of the App Store worldwide, and he is already sharing details about the future of gaming on its devices. During a recent interview with Polygon, Oliver explained how the company plans to attract more premium games to mobile devices and where its subscription service fits in. The focus remains on giving both players and developers more choices.
Apple celebrates indie games week by revealing seven new titles
Over the past few years, the tech company has worked hard to make its hardware better for gamers. By adding hardware-accelerated ray tracing and building tools to make porting PC games easier, the platform proves it takes gaming seriously. Oliver pointed out that more premium games are launching on the App Store this year compared to last year. He noted that an entire younger generation grew up using an iPhone as their primary gaming device, which means touch controls are completely natural for them.
To show off this momentum, Apple recently announced Indie Games Week. This event highlights some very impressive games coming to the ecosystem. Here are the seven upcoming titles confirmed for the platform:
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- Sifu
- Vampire Crawlers
- No Man’s Sky
- Little Kitty, Big City
- 9 Kings
- Dome Keeper
- Yes, Your Grace 2: Snowfall
These upcoming releases show that both indie developers and big console studios see mobile devices as a great place to reach a growing audience. The goal is to bring a lot of creativity to the iPad and mobile screens without lowering the overall quality of the gameplay.
Oliver explains how subscription services and premium downloads work together
With so many premium games hitting the market directly, some people wonder how Apple Arcade fits into the bigger picture. Oliver clarified that the main goal is simply flexibility. The company wants to give game makers multiple ways to build a successful business on the platform without locking them into one path.
Instead of forcing developers into a single model, the storefront offers different routes. A popular game like Balatro, for example, can perform well as a standalone premium purchase while also finding success within the subscription service. This approach lets developers choose the best business model for their specific game.
It also lets users decide how they prefer to pay for and play their favorite titles. In the end, keeping both standalone purchases and subscription options active is the best way to support a healthy mobile gaming market.
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