Apple is rolling out a new, dedicated gaming app, called Games, that will come pre-installed on Mac, iPhone and iPad with macOS Tahoe 26 and iOS 26 this fall. It’s basically a spit-shined, updated version of Game Center, a service that Apple has let languish since its rollout roughly 15 years ago.
The new app will behave more like a modern gaming hub, a la Xbox or GOG Galaxy. It’ll include a space for leaderboards, matchmaking, recommendations, news and launching games — plus a direct pipeline to Apple Arcade, of course. You can see what your friends are playing and challenge them to specific feats in certain titles. The library tab will include every game you’ve ever downloaded from the App Store, allowing you to booth them up right there. On Mac, a Games app overlay makes communication tools, audio controls, Bluetooth connections and live battery levels accessible at any time.
Apple’s gaming push in recent years includes mobile and Mac support for AAA experiences like Resident Evil Village, the Resident Evil 2 and 4 remakes, Death Stranding and Assassin’s Creed Mirage. At Summer Game Fest 2025 over the weekend, IO Interactive announced that its Hitman trilogy, Hitman World of Assassination, is heading to iPhone, iPad and Mac this summer.
Also on the video game front, Apple is still battling Epic Games in court over claims of anti-competitive behavior, but they’re mainly just closing out appeals now that Fortnite is live on the App Store and third-party payments are enabled on Apple’s storefront. Xbox recently threw its support behind Epic Games, filing an amicus brief accusing Apple of unfairly blocking the Xbox mobile store in late May.
Also also in game land, last month Apple acquired its first video game studio, the two-person team RAC7, which makes Sneaky Sasquatch.
