Apple Arcade subscribers can now play five new games on the service, including the endless runner “Subway Surfers,” which is the world’s most downloaded mobile game. Released in 2012, the game has been downloaded billions of times across various different platforms, and it is now available in Apple Arcade as a premium edition called Subway Surfers+.
With this release, Apple continues to follow a trend of convincing developers to create premium versions of popular apps without ads and in-app purchases. Other examples include “Angry Birds Reloaded,” “Snake.io+,” “Smash Hit+,” “Temple Run+,” and “Mini Metro+.”
According to the developers of “Subway Surfers+,” Apple Arcade subscribers can enjoy new ways to play, progress, and collect coins with their favorite characters, including Jack, Tricky, Fresh, Yutani, and more. The mechanics of the game are still the same, requiring players to swipe to dodge or jump over obstacles. It also offers legendary characters and levels from past years, and it’s possible to play “Subway Surfers+” in offline mode and across devices, such as the iPad.
What you need to know about Apple Arcade
Having launched in 2019, Apple Arcade is one of Apple’s earlier initiatives to increase revenue by betting on services. The service was announced alongside Apple TV+ (now Apple TV), Apple Fitness+, the Apple Card, and more.
While Apple Arcade costs $6.99 per month, the subscription also is part of the cheapest Apple One bundle, which includes Apple Music, Apple TV, and 50GB of storage on iCloud. What’s unique about the service is that it offers premium games without ads or in-app purchases, which provides an uninterrupted gaming experience.
Users can also play games across several Apple devices, including the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and Apple Vision Pro, with progress automatically syncing via iCloud. While the service has big titles, such as the “Final Fantasy” creator’s “FANTASIAN,” a report from 2024 said Apple Arcade was struggling with growth, as not only had Apple stopped offering generous payouts for developers, but it also became less likely to greenlight projects that weren’t attached to major intellectual properties. The company usually releases new games at the beginning of every month. Another recent report suggested that Apple was rethinking Apple Fitness+, as it hasn’t been as profitable as Apple would’ve hoped.
