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 cellular 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 Store, which is not going anyplace. It is as if Apple took the Video games tab and expanded it right into a full app.
Dwelling View
The Dwelling tab is the primary view of the Video games app, and it’s tailor-made to every consumer. It has a “Proceed Taking part in” part so you will get to the final sport you’ve got been enjoying with a faucet, and there is a giant carousel on the high of the interface with spotlighted content material like sport strategies, pal achievements, and Video games app options.
You possibly can swipe by the content material within the Dwelling tab, and it really works quite a bit just like the As we speak strategies within the App Retailer. There are a number of sections to scroll by for content material strategies, a few of which is personalised based mostly in your gaming historical past.
A few of the totally different sections:
- Arcade Video games for You – Contains all Apple Arcade title strategies.
- Buddies Are Taking part in – Video games your Recreation Heart mates 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 selected title you beforehand performed.
- Prime Arcade Video games – A ranked record of the highest Apple Arcade video games.
- New Video games We Love – Not too long ago launched titles that are not a part of Apple Arcade.
- New Video games on Apple Arcade – Contains the brand new titles on Apple Arcade, however not different App Retailer titles.
- Attempt Earlier than You Purchase – Video games with demos you possibly can play earlier than you decide to a purchase order.
- Our Most Anticipated Video games – Upcoming video games with pre-orders obtainable.
- Buddy Ideas – Permits you to invite folks to be a Recreation Heart pal by way of 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 possibly can see which video games are providing recent content material.
Occasions can embrace restricted time particular gameplay, particular trophies and objects which are obtainable 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 per 30 days gaming service. The Apple Arcade tab can also be damaged down into totally 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 break up into 4 tabs, together with Dwelling, Arcade, Play Collectively, and Library. The Library tab consists of the entire video games that you’ve got performed throughout your whole gadgets.
The Library enables you to see your whole 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.
Recreation Information
Tapping right into a sport exhibits if you final performed it and offers choices for launching it or downloading it once more if it is one thing that you have deleted or performed on a unique system.
All video games have a Video games Particulars part that features clear data on the sport’s score, sort, whether or not there’s controller help, and the way giant the sport is.
Social Choices
Within the devoted Play Collectively tab, you may see a listing of video games that your folks are enjoying, together with strategies for multiplayer video games that you could play with another person. There’s additionally a devoted Challenges software, which is a brand new function.
Multiplayer Video games
For a multiplayer sport, you possibly can faucet on the “Begin Multiplayer” choice after which invite somebody to play with you. There is a record of mates that you have performed multiplayer video games with earlier than, in addition to a Occasion Code you possibly can ship to somebody and an invitation hyperlink.
Each gamers must 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 further 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 possibly can choose a sport, select guidelines or parameters for the problem, and compete towards mates to win. Problem choices vary from finishing a puzzle the quickest to getting the best rating. Every problem is time restricted, and for many video games, you possibly can set a time interval of a day, three days, or per week.
Recreation Heart
The Video games app basically makes Recreation Heart options extra outstanding. Recreation Heart has been round for a very long time for incomes achievements and enjoying video games with mates, however it hasn’t been as outstanding as it’s now.
There’s nonetheless a Recreation Heart part within the Settings app, the place you possibly can invite mates and management who you share your gaming exercise with.
Whenever you get a rating that is greater than a pal’s rating in a sport you are each enjoying, you may see a pop up.
Recreation Mode
Whenever you begin a sport, Recreation Mode is activated. If you happen to faucet into Management Heart with Recreation Mode, you may see an “Overlay” choice. Faucet that and you’ll see leaderboards, invite mates to play, and management sport settings like sound stage, show brightness, and controller parameters.
With Recreation Mode, you possibly can entry Recreation Heart settings and social instruments with out having to go away the sport that you just’re enjoying.
Recreation Mode will not be a Focus mode and it does not block notifications or in any other case interrupt system operation.
Different Video games App Options
Tapping in your profile on the high of the Video games app brings up an choice to ask mates to Recreation Heart and reply to pal requests, plus you possibly can see your problem wins and your sport achievements.
There’s additionally a devoted Search button the place you possibly can sort within the identify of a sport or faucet by totally 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.
System 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 award 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 a complete iOS 26 roundup that covers the entire new options which are obtainable within the replace.