Apple is reportedly working on its own game subscription service to rival the likes of Sony’s PlayStation Now, Microsoft Project xCloud, Nintendo, Amazon and EA Games.
According to a report by Cheddar, citing unnamed sources, Apple has opened talks with game developers over the last few months about creating such a platform.
The sources have confirmed that Apple spoke to developers about acting as a publisher for its games, organising distribution and marketing for the titles.
The report excludes details on which games may be included, what platforms would support the service, and even what the cost could potentially be.
Additionally, the reporter states that while the sources confirm that the project is in the early days, Apple might still scrap the plans.
As this report has been unverified by any Apple spokespeople, we should take it with a grain of salt, but Apple has been investing heavily in its services recently.
At CES 2019, numerous smart TV manufacturers — including Samsung, Sony, and LG — announced that their systems will be compatible with AirPlay 2, no doubt enabling users to avail of Apple’s upcoming video streaming service without owning an Apple TV.
Reportedly, Apple has been emphasising subscriptions as one of its new growth engines as the tech giant is focusing on sales from recurring services as opposed to hardware.
Games generally represent about 70% of App Store spending, although much of that revenue comes from games with in-app purchases.
With several tech companies vying to become the “Netflix of Games”, Apple’s rumoured service might have a shot, but with others already well into development, it’s unlikely they will make an impact initially.
Although, gaming is a rapidly growing market, which could make it a good move for Apple to take to diversify revenue sales as iPhone sales have plummeted.
