By Gavin Boyle
Apple has purchased small video game studio RAC7 as it begins a foray into the gaming ecosystem with an updated gaming platform on the way later this year.
“We love Sneaky Sasquatch and are excited that the 2-person RAC7 team has joined Apple to continue their work on it with us,” Apple said earlier this year, per How-to-Geek. “We will continue to deliver a great experience for Apple Arcade players with hundreds of games form many of the best game developers in the world.”
Apple is currently planning an overhaul of its gaming system, launching a new gaming app to replace the Game Center app and to serve as a hub for gaming news and player achievement, while also providing an alternative area for players to download games from the App Store. The new app will come preinstalled on all Apple devices and is expected to be launched this fall around the release of the next iPhone.
Apple has been involved in the gaming market for years through its Apple Arcade subscription service. But the acquisition of RAC7 and the overhaul of its gaming system hints at a desire to become more involved in the industry. This incentive, however, may be harder than the company realizes, as simply having money to throw at gamers is not enough.
Related: TikTok to Expand Into Gaming, Launches Tests For Some International Users
TikTok and Amazon both launched video game initiatives during the pandemic which quickly shuttered after they failed to take off. Meanwhile, Netflix has continued with its gaming initiative, though it remains largely unpopular, despite the company’s best efforts. Though it initially hoped to become a major player in the video game scene, it has had to rework its ambitions, and it is now using its gaming platform to promote its popular IP.
“Our opportunity to serve super fandom with games is really remarkable,” Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos said in August 2024. “Being able to take a show and give the superfan a place to go in between seasons, and be able to use the game platform to introduce new characters and new storylines or new plot twist events: It’s a really great opportunity.”
Though Netflix has only found moderate success through its gaming push, it is not impossible for tech companies to break onto the scene. Microsoft, for example, has become a mainstay in the gaming industry after launching Xbox in 2001. Apple’s entry into the industry may be more similar to Microsoft than Netflix as Apple is providing the systems that players use, similar to Microsoft.
How big of a push Apple is making into the gaming sphere is still unclear, but the acquisition of RAC7 makes it obvious that the company is more interested in the industry than ever.
Read Next: How Netflix Shifted Its Games Library Strategy
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