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Investing.com -- Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) is preparing to make another major push into the $200 billion video game industry with a dedicated application for gaming, set to replace its little-used Game Center platform. According to Bloomberg, the new app will come preinstalled on iPhones, iPads, Macs, and Apple TV devices later this year, as the tech giant seeks a stronger footing in interactive entertainment.
The app will offer a centralized portal for launching games, tracking achievements, viewing leaderboards, and enabling player communications—a significant upgrade over Game Center’s limited social functionality. Apple is positioning the app to improve gaming discovery and simplify the mobile gaming experience at a time when users have more options than ever, including cloud gaming, consoles, and PCs.
The announcement is expected during Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference on June 9, just after Nintendo Co (OTC:NTDOY).’s anticipated unveiling of the Switch 2. By timing its entry near a major console release, Apple appears eager to recast the perception of iPhones and Macs from peripheral gaming devices to primary platforms.
The new software will also integrate editorial content produced by Apple, highlight newly released games, and promote the $6.99-a-month Apple Arcade subscription service, sources told Bloomberg. Unlike Game Center, the forthcoming app will support integration with games acquired outside the App Store, particularly on Mac, signaling a more open approach for third-party developers.
Apple’s plans include a broader content strategy, highlighted by its quiet acquisition of RAC7 Games, a Canadian studio behind the popular Apple Arcade title Sneaky Sasquatch. The deal, first reported by Digital Trends, underscores Apple’s intent to invest directly in exclusive content to enhance user engagement across its ecosystem.
Apple has long struggled to create a cohesive gaming identity, with Game Center failing to gain meaningful adoption since launching in 2010. But the new initiative suggests a shift in philosophy: embracing community features and exclusive content, both of which have been hallmarks of competitors like Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) and Sony (NYSE:SONY).
Whether the company’s renewed interest translates into market share remains uncertain. However, as Apple prepares to address developers and investors next month, its ambitions in gaming will be harder to ignore.