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Apple is finally making an iPhone Games app outside of the App Store

A new report reveals that Apple is working on its own iPhone Games app, bringing big-name games out of the shadow of the App Store.

Custom image for 'Apple is finally showing mobile gamers the respect we deserve with an iPhone gaming hub' article with an iPhone running Apple Arcade on the left and the Apple logo on the right

Given that Apple has dedicated apps for podcasts, music, TV, books, and more, it’s strange that the tech giant has never gone all in on mobile gaming. However, it looks like that’s about to change, with a new report suggesting that Apple is developing its own iPhone Games app separate from the App Store. Well, it took them long enough.

As it stands, if you want to check out some new games on your iPhone, you have to go into the App Store and then flick over to either the Games or Arcade tab. That’s a lot of effort. The new gaming hub would put free-to-play games like Zenless Zone Zero and PUBG Mobile, as well as some of the titles from our guide to the best Apple Arcade games, front and center, so you can always find something new to pick up and play.

According to the report from 9to5Mac, the mobile gaming hub will have multiple tabs, including a ‘Play Now’ tab with suggestions for what to try next, plus sections for your friends list and all your downloaded games. We’re also expecting leaderboards, achievements, in-game challenges, and Game Center integration, so you shouldn’t lose any achievements you’ve already gained, and you won’t have to go through the settings menu to check your gaming profile.

The big question is: Why has it taken Apple so long? Mobile games have always been a massive part of the iPhone’s success story, from the early days of Angry Birds and Candy Crush to offering AAA titles on the iPhone 15 and 16 in recent years. It’s fair to say that some of us mobile gamers have felt a little taken for granted by Apple. However, this development and Apple’s promise of “30% better” gaming performance on the iPhone 16 series point to the brand taking iPhone gaming more seriously than ever before.

This move from Apple may be in response to the brand’s infamous dispute with Epic over allowing users to download the Epic Games Store on iPhone, with the app recently returning to Apple devices in Europe thanks to a change in European law. It’s just speculation, but Apple could be preparing for similar rule changes outside of Europe by offering its own bespoke gaming service to draw potential users away from the Epic Games Store, or any other mobile gaming platforms.

The only thing we don’t know is when we can expect Apple’s new gaming hub to arrive on iPhone, but the original report suggests it could either be part of a future iOS 18 update or next year’s iOS 19 rollout. If the latter is the case, we can expect to discover more during the brand’s next WWDC presentation, which should fall in early Summer 2025. Either way, we’ll keep a keen eye out for any official updates. If you want to prepare for Apple’s new emphasis on gaming, be sure to check out our picks for the best gaming iPhones, including options to suit every budget.