In iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS Tahoe, Apple added an all-new Video games app that is designed to be the go-to place for cell gaming on Apple gadgets. The app consists of options for locating new video games to play, together with add-ons meant to maintain you extra engaged.
The Video games app is fairly just like the Video games tab within the App Retailer, which is not going anyplace. It is as if Apple took the Video games tab and expanded it right into a full app.
Residence View
The Residence tab is the principle view of the Video games app, and it’s tailor-made to every consumer. It has a “Proceed Taking part in” part so you may get to the final sport you’ve got been taking part in with a faucet, and there is a massive carousel on the prime of the interface with spotlighted content material like sport strategies, good friend achievements, and Video games app options.
You’ll be able to swipe by means of the content material within the Residence tab, and it really works lots just like the Immediately strategies within the App Retailer. There are a number of sections to scroll by means of for content material strategies, a few of which is customized based mostly in your gaming historical past.
A few of the completely different sections:
- Arcade Video games for You – Consists of all Apple Arcade title strategies.
- Mates Are Taking part in – Video games your Sport Middle associates have performed not too long ago.
- Prime Performed Video games – A ranked record of essentially the most performed iOS video games.
- As a result of You Performed – Ideas based mostly on a particular title you beforehand performed.
- Prime Arcade Video games – A ranked record of the highest Apple Arcade video games.
- New Video games We Love – Lately launched titles that are not a part of Apple Arcade.
- New Video games on Apple Arcade – Consists of the brand new titles on Apple Arcade, however not different App Retailer titles.
- Strive Earlier than You Purchase – Video games with demos you’ll be able to play earlier than you decide to a purchase order.
- Our Most Anticipated Video games – Upcoming video games with pre-orders accessible.
- Good friend Ideas – Allows you to invite individuals to be a Sport Middle good friend through Messages.
- Prime Free Video games – A ranked record of the highest free-to-play video games.
- Prime Paid Video games – A ranked record of the highest paid video games within the App Retailer.
Occasions
Apple launched Occasions for video games manner again in iOS 15. Occasions for video games are displayed within the Video games app so you’ll be able to see which video games are providing contemporary content material.
Occasions can embody restricted time particular gameplay, particular trophies and gadgets which are accessible for a short while, main content material updates, crossovers, challenges, and extra.
Apple Arcade
There’s a devoted tab for Apple Arcade content material, the place Apple promotes its $6.99 monthly gaming service. The Apple Arcade tab can be damaged down into completely different sections with gaming suggestions, very similar to the Apple Arcade part of the App Retailer.
Unified Video games Library
The Video games app is cut up into 4 tabs, together with Residence, Arcade, Play Collectively, and Library. The Library tab consists of all the video games that you’ve got performed throughout all your gadgets.
The Library permits you to see all your achievements in a single place separated by sport, with filters to separate them by platform. There are additionally fast entry hyperlinks to new Apple Arcade titles and Occasions.
Sport Information
Tapping right into a sport reveals once you final performed it and supplies choices for launching it or downloading it once more if it is one thing that you’ve got deleted or performed on a distinct gadget.
All video games have a Video games Particulars part that features clear info on the sport’s ranking, kind, whether or not there’s controller help, and the way massive the sport is.
Social Choices
Within the devoted Play Collectively tab, you may see a listing of video games that your folks are taking part in, together with strategies for multiplayer video games you could play with another person. There’s additionally a devoted Challenges software, which is a brand new characteristic.
Multiplayer Video games
For a multiplayer sport, you’ll be able to faucet on the “Begin Multiplayer” choice after which invite somebody to play with you. There is a record of associates that you’ve got performed multiplayer video games with earlier than, in addition to a Celebration Code you’ll be able to ship to somebody and an invitation hyperlink.
Each gamers have to be working iOS 26, iPadOS 26, or macOS 26 or later to make use of the Multiplayer options which are within the Video games app.
Multiplayer video games are video games the place you play with a number of extra gamers on the identical time in co-op or aggressive gameplay.
Challenges
Challenges are a separate multiplayer choice for asynchronous aggressive gameplay for video games which are historically single participant.
With Challenges, you’ll be able to choose a sport, select guidelines or parameters for the problem, and compete towards associates to win. Problem choices vary from finishing a puzzle the quickest to getting the very best rating. Every problem is time restricted, and for many video games, you’ll be able to set a time interval of a day, three days, or per week.
Sport Middle
The Video games app basically makes Sport Middle options extra distinguished. Sport Middle has been round for a very long time for incomes achievements and taking part in video games with associates, but it surely hasn’t been as distinguished as it’s now.
There’s nonetheless a Sport Middle part within the Settings app, the place you’ll be able to invite associates and management who you share your gaming exercise with.
Whenever you get a rating that is increased than a good friend’s rating in a sport you are each taking part in, you may see a pop up.
Sport Mode
Whenever you begin a sport, Sport Mode is activated. In case you faucet into Management Middle with Sport Mode, you may see an “Overlay” choice. Faucet that and you’ll see leaderboards, invite associates to play, and management sport settings like sound degree, show brightness, and controller parameters.
With Sport Mode, you’ll be able to entry Sport Middle settings and social instruments with out having to depart the sport that you just’re taking part in.
Sport Mode just isn’t a Focus mode and it does not block notifications or in any other case interrupt gadget operation.
Different Video games App Options
Tapping in your profile on the prime of the Video games app brings up an choice to ask associates to Sport Middle and reply to good friend requests, plus you’ll be able to see your problem wins and your sport achievements.
There’s additionally a devoted Search button the place you’ll be able to kind within the title of a sport or faucet by means of completely different sport classes to search out one thing new to play.
For Builders
Builders can create challenges and multiplayer actions that can present up within the Video games app for improved sport visibility.
Gadget Compatibility
Utilizing the brand new Video games app options requires a tool that is ready to run iOS 26, iPadOS 26, or macOS Tahoe. For the brand new Video games app options like Challenges, each customers must have a tool with the most recent software program.
The Video games app is for gameplay with different Apple customers, and there is no performance for taking part in video games with individuals who have Android gadgets or use different platforms.
Learn Extra
We’ve got a full iOS 26 roundup that covers all the new options which are accessible within the replace.