Apple Arcade has emerged as a significant platform for mobile game developers, yet it has also been a source of significant frustration. According to a comprehensive report by Mobilegamer.biz, developers working with Apple Arcade are experiencing a range of challenges that have left them feeling disheartened.
Despite Challenges, Some Developers Acknowledge Apple's Support for Studio Sustainability
The "Inside Apple Arcade" report by Mobilegamer.biz sheds light on the struggles faced by developers, including delayed payments, insufficient technical support, and issues with game discoverability. One indie developer highlighted the severity of the payment delays, stating they waited up to six months to receive funds, which nearly led to the collapse of their business. They expressed frustration with the lengthy and unclear process of signing deals with Apple, citing a lack of vision and frequent shifts in platform goals. "The lack of vision and clear focus of the platform is frustrating, and if there is any goal, it keeps changing every year or so. Also, technical support is pretty miserable," they remarked.Another developer echoed these frustrations, noting the slow response times from the Apple Arcade team, often waiting weeks for replies. They mentioned that inquiries about product, technical, and commercial aspects often resulted in non-answers or unhelpful responses, attributed to a lack of knowledge or confidentiality issues.
Game discoverability emerged as another critical issue. One developer felt their game was neglected, stating, "It’s like we don’t exist. So as a developer, you think, well, they’ve given us this money for exclusivity… I don’t want to give them the money back, but I do want people to play my game. It’s like we’re invisible." The quality assurance (QA) process also drew criticism, with one developer describing the requirement to submit numerous screenshots to cover all device aspect ratios and languages as excessively burdensome.
Despite these challenges, some developers noted improvements in Apple Arcade's focus over time. "I think Arcade knows who its audience is much more today than at the outset. If that doesn’t turn out to be high concept artful indie games, that’s not Apple’s fault," one developer observed. They added that if Apple can build a successful business around family games, it's beneficial for both the company and developers who can pursue such opportunities.
Moreover, some developers recognized the positive impact of Apple's financial support. "We were able to sign a good deal for our titles which covered our whole development budget," one developer said, acknowledging that without Apple’s funding, their studio might not have survived.
Developer Claims Apple Lacks Understanding of Gamers
The report also suggested that Apple Arcade suffers from a lack of clear strategy and integration within the broader Apple ecosystem. "Arcade has no clear strategy and feels like a bolt-on to the Apple company ecosystem rather than like it is truly supported inside the company," one developer stated. They further criticized Apple's understanding of gamers, noting, "Apple 100% does not understand gamers – they have little to no info on who plays their games that they can share with developers, or how they interact with games on the platform already."
The prevailing sentiment among developers is that Apple views them as a "necessary evil." One developer expressed, "Given their status as a huge tech company, it feels as if they treat developers as a necessary evil, and that we will do everything we can to please them for little in return, in the hope that they grace us with another project – and a chance for them to screw us over again."
