Apple Plans Dedicated Gaming Platform That Blends Both App Store and Game Centre

Apple is reportedly developing a new platform dedicated to gaming that brings together the best of both worlds from the App Store and Game Centre.

According to 9to5Mac, this new “App Store-like” app is designed to provide a more immersive experience for users, while seamlessly integrating with existing user profiles and systems.

Unlike the Game Centre, which focuses primarily on social gaming, this new platform is expected to bring together a wide variety of gaming-related features into one central hub. However, this gaming app will not replace the Game Centre.

The anticipated features include:

• “Play Now” Tab: A section offering personalized content, including editorial picks, game recommendations, and opportunities to participate in challenges. Players will also be able to track leaderboards and achievements more efficiently here.
• Combined Games Library: It will feature games from both the App Store and Apple Arcade, offering both premium and subscription-based titles in one place.
• Major Gaming Events and Updates: The app is expected to highlight key gaming events and updates.
• FaceTime and iMessage Integration: Players can communicate easily through FaceTime and iMessage while gaming.
• Mini-Games with App Clips: Developers may be able to create interactive mini-games using App Clips.

The concept behind this new gaming platform has similarities to the Xbox app on iPhone, which allows users to track their gaming activity, manage libraries, and monitor friends’ progress. Apple seems to be taking a page from Xbox’s playbook to create a more unified gaming experience for its users.

This move comes at a time when Apple is focusing heavily on expanding its gaming capabilities. The ongoing legal disputes between Epic Games and tech giants like Google and Apple, particularly concerning app store policies and revenue sharing, have brought attention to the broader app distribution ecosystem. Apple’s decision to explore new gaming options might also be a strategic response to these industry changes.

While details about the launch of this gaming platform remain unclear, many speculate that it could be introduced alongside a future iOS update, possibly with iOS 18 or later.