Apple Arcade is gaining two big new exclusive games, partly reversing recent signs of decline.
Jetpack Joyride 2 is the sequel to one of the all time mobile gaming classics. Despite having soft launched on iOS and Android in early 2021, it’s now reemerged as an Apple Arcade exclusive, where it will roll out to subscribers on August 19.
Halfbrick Studios is back at the helm for another slice of frantic endless runner-cum-side-scrolling shooter action.
Another big new Apple Arcade exclusive – and one that has me even more intrigued – is Amazing Bomberman from Konami. This one appears to reimagine the classic multiplayer arena exploder as a beat-generated light show extravaganza worthy of Tetsuya Mizuguchi (the genius behind Rez, Lumines, and Tetris Effect) himself.
That’s the hope, at least. The app blurb promises “a new Bomberman game with excellent music and visual effects,” with “thrilling battles on the stages that change to the rhythm of the music”. We’ll know for sure when the game rolls out to Apple Arcade subscribers on August 5.
These fresh releases are a much needed shot in the arm for the Apple Arcade service. Just yesterday we reported on the fact that 15 games had dropped off Apple’s subscription gaming service.
Besides its shrinking games library, the Apple Arcade service wasn’t quite living up to the promise of its 2019 debut. Three years ago Apple Arcade launched with 71 games, many of them complete originals as well as exclusives. More recently, the roster has been padded out with hastily repurposed older games.
It also comes at a time when it’s being reported that consumer spending in non-gaming apps has overtaken that of gaming apps, at least in the US market. That’s a first.
Regardless of long term trends in the wider market, it’s good to see that Apple hasn’t completely left its gaming service to wither on the vine with these two new Apple Arcade exclusive games.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
