Apple Acquires First Game Studio, Plans Gaming Hub App by End of 2025

In a notable shift toward gaming, Apple has made its first-ever acquisition of a game development studio and is reportedly preparing to launch a dedicated gaming hub across its ecosystem before the end of 2025. These moves suggest a renewed interest in the gaming space—an area where Apple has traditionally struggled to gain a strong foothold, especially among core and console-style gamers.

Apple’s Gaming Legacy: A Complicated History

Historically, Apple devices haven’t been synonymous with gaming. Mac systems prioritized battery life, thermal performance, and creative software compatibility over gaming performance. On the mobile side, while iOS fostered a booming casual games market, it wasn’t as inviting for developers of high-end, console-quality titles. Challenges like constant software updates and platform-specific technical hurdles made maintaining advanced games on iOS an uphill battle.

Still, Apple has made some notable improvements in recent years to attract both players and developers. Now, it appears the company is ready to deepen its investment in gaming with a major new initiative.

New Gaming Hub App in Development

According to a Bloomberg report, Apple is preparing to unveil a dedicated gaming app that will function as a central hub for gaming content across macOS, iOS, iPadOS, and tvOS. The app is expected to debut during Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on June 9, 2025—just days after the anticipated Switch 2 release.

This new hub will reportedly serve as a modernized interface for discovering games, accessing Apple Arcade, and possibly replacing Game Center, Apple’s long-dormant social gaming platform introduced in 2010. Game Center was once a standalone app but was moved to a background feature in 2016. The rumored new app could bring Apple’s gaming features back into the spotlight.

Apple’s First Game Developer Acquisition

In a separate development, Apple has acquired RAC7, the Canadian indie studio best known for Sneaky Sasquatch, a fan-favorite Apple Arcade title. The acquisition—first reported by Digital Trends —marks Apple’s first entry into direct game development through studio ownership.

A company spokesperson downplayed the move as a major strategic pivot, suggesting instead that the acquisition was a one-off opportunity to strengthen Apple Arcade’s portfolio. Still, the move signals Apple’s increasing comfort with getting more hands-on in the gaming space.

More Signs of a Gaming-Focused Future

Beyond Apple Arcade and RAC7, Apple has recently taken additional steps to improve gaming on its platforms. In 2023, the company introduced the Game Porting Toolkit, which allows developers to bring Windows games to Mac with less friction. Apple has also begun courting AAA publishers, which has led to ports of Assassin’s Creed Mirage, Resident Evil 4 Remake, and other major titles on iOS and macOS.

While Apple’s broader gaming ambitions remain somewhat guarded, these developments—combined with a new app and first-ever studio acquisition—could mark the beginning of a more serious long-term investment in the gaming world.