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Apple Arcade just got a huge update of new games, including some mobile classics

Apple Arcade just got a huge update of new games, including some mobile classics

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Monument Valley, Threes, and more

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Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

Apple’s gaming subscription service just got a massive influx of new titles. The headliner is Fantasianthe latest release from the creator of Final Fantasy — which is joined by other titles like new versions of NBA 2K and The Oregon Trail, and World of Demons from PlatinumGames. As part of the update, the service is getting two new categories of games: Apple calls them “Timeless Classics” and “App Store Greats.”

For the greats, Apple is adding a number of high-profile mobile hits to the service, including Threes, Monument Valley, Mini Metro, and a remaster of Cut the Rope. Timeless classics, meanwhile, refers to iconic games like backgammon, solitaire, and Zach Gage’s recent takes on chess and sudoku. While most Arcade games are playable across Apple TV, Mac, and iOS, these new categories will only work on iPhone and iPad. The update adds more than 30 titles to the service, bringing the entire library to more than 180.

Apple Arcade first launched in 2019 as a new option for premium games on a platform that had become dominated by free-to-play experiences. The original pitch was a service full of new, largely exclusive games from developers like Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi and a number of indie stalwarts.

However, despite the quality games and relative low price (an Arcade subscription is $4.99 per month), Apple is reportedly not happy with the amount of engagement games are getting, which may be a reason behind this most recent shift in direction.