Apple Arcade: A Mixed Bag for Mobile Game Developers
Apple Arcade, while offering a platform for mobile game developers, has faced significant criticism due to several persistent issues. A Mobilegamer.biz report reveals widespread frustration among developers regarding their experiences with the platform.
Developer Concerns with Apple Arcade
A recent "Inside Apple Arcade" report highlights a range of problems, including payment delays, inadequate technical support, and poor game discoverability.
Many studios reported substantial delays in receiving payments, with one indie developer citing a six-month wait that nearly jeopardized their business. This developer also criticized Apple's lack of a clear, consistent vision for the platform and described the technical support as "miserable." Another developer echoed these sentiments, noting weeks-long periods without communication from Apple and unacceptably long response times to emails. Attempts to obtain answers to product, technical, or commercial questions often yielded unhelpful or non-existent responses.
Discoverability proved another major point of contention. One developer described their game as being "in a morgue for the last two years" due to a lack of promotion by Apple. The rigorous quality assurance (QA) process also drew criticism, with one developer characterizing the submission requirements as excessively burdensome.
Positive Aspects and Apple's Perspective
Despite the numerous criticisms, some developers acknowledged positive aspects of Apple Arcade. Several noted that Apple's financial support had been crucial to their studios' survival, enabling them to fund entire development budgets. One developer also observed that Apple Arcade's understanding of its target audience has improved over time, although this audience may not align with the expectations of some indie developers.
The report also suggests a disconnect between Apple and the gaming community. Developers expressed the belief that Apple lacks a clear strategy for Arcade, viewing it as a peripheral addition rather than a core component of its ecosystem. One developer bluntly stated that Apple "100% does not understand gamers," citing a lack of data sharing regarding player behavior and interaction with games on the platform. A prevailing sentiment among developers is that Apple treats them as a "necessary evil," prioritizing its own interests over the needs of the developers contributing to its platform.
