Apple Arcade has become one of the most popular gaming subscriptions available, with many players enjoying the latest games as they arrive on the platform. However, behind the scenes, developers are facing significant challenges working with Apple Arcade. Issues ranging from unproductive meetings to late payments reveal a darker side to this otherwise entertaining subscription service.
A recent read from mobilegamer.biz painted a troubling picture of the situation. Multiple game developers highlighted significant challenges while working with Apple Arcade as well as the company’s spatial computer Vision Pro.
The cons outweigh the pros, leaving Apple Arcade “directionless”, say the developers
Despite the attractive financial benefits that are offered, developers have reported severe delays in payments, poor communication, and inadequate technical support. Routine emails often go unanswered for extended periods, with “general response time to emails is three weeks if they reply at all,” they say.
A developer mentioned that initially, they received prompt monthly payments from Apple’s Bonus Pool, but now there’s a five-month backlog on their payments. This delay has been so severe that it almost put one indie developer out of business, the article notes.
On the other hand, meetings with Apple often fail to be productive. They say “half the Apple team won’t turn up and when they do they have no idea what’s going on”, which seems to be a terrible scenario to deal with. Many developers feel that their games are being overlooked on Apple Arcade despite continuous updates, as Apple seems to promote the “new games will be featured on top” system.
The lack of a clear direction from Apple only adds to the frustration developers are experiencing. Most developers agree that Apple sees games and developers as a ‘necessary evil,’ with Arcade appearing directionless and lacking support from the broader company.
The Vision Pro has no ‘vision’, with the ordeal being similar to an ‘abusive relationship’
Meanwhile, developers working on Vision Pro are facing a similar set of problems. Although it’s touted as a powerful device, Vision Pro falls short when it comes to handling complex games, leaving developers frustrated with its limitations.
They described the technical support as “awful, the worst I have seen anywhere,” noting that Apple’s team is unable to provide insights into how the hardware and software function or how essential middleware should interact with it.
Overall, it’s clear that developers are expressing these concerns given how helpless they are. They’ve summed this up as an “abusive relationship“, and this doesn’t seem right at all. If the mobile gaming industry needs to thrive, leaders like Apple must avoid such problematic practices.
My suggestion, if they hear it, is to work towards more supportive relationships with developers, since they are fond of what they are doing, and clear communication with ease out most of the issues. I hope this will be happening soon and these problems are erased.
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