Apple Arcade: New and Updated Games Announced for September

Tuesday September 5, 2023 7:13 am PDT by Joe Rossignol

Apple today announced that four new games will be added to Apple Arcade this month, including Cypher 007, Japanese Rural Life Adventure, Junkworld, and My Talking Angela 2+. In addition, Apple said over 40 games available on the service will be receiving updates this month, including the popular game Hello Kitty Island Adventure.

apple arcade orange feature
Details about the upcoming games and updates can be found in the Apple Newsroom announcement on Apple's website.

Launched in November 2019, Apple Arcade is a subscription-based gaming service accessible through the App Store. Priced at $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year in the U.S., the service provides subscribers with access to nearly 300 games across the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV. All games on Apple Arcade are free of ads and in-app purchases.

Apple Arcade is included for three months for free with the purchase of a new Apple device, such as one of the upcoming iPhone 15 models, which are expected to be announced at Apple's event on Tuesday, September 12. Apple says this offer is available for first-time subscribers and "qualified" returning subscribers.

Tag: Apple Arcade Guide

Popular Stories

Apple's App Store Chief Explains Its Push for Premium Games

Tuesday October 20, 2026 8:58 pm PDT by Hartley Charlton

More premium games are launching on the App Store this year than last, Apple's App Store Worldwide head Carson Oliver told Polygon, including more franchises coming from PC and consoles. Oliver said: We've seen incredible growth of games coming to the App Store, in general, with more premium games releasing on the App Store this year than last. While many of those are indies, we're also...

• 38 comments

'Crossy Road Rush' Launching Exclusively on Apple Arcade in November

Tuesday October 6, 2026 9:46 am PDT by Joe Rossignol

Apple today announced that the all-new "Crossy Road" spinoff game "Crossy Road Rush" will be launching exclusively on Apple Arcade on Thursday, November 5. Crossy Road Rush has players "swerve, jump, and smash their way across an island obstacle course packed with quick-fire challenges and hazards at every turn," according to Apple. Also coming to Apple Arcade on November 5 are existing App...

• 12 comments

RIP, MacBook Ultra

Monday October 19, 2026 9:37 am PDT by Joe Rossignol

Apple today sent out invites for an experience in Los Angeles on Wednesday, October 28, and the "Pro and tell" tagline on the invitation likely means that the rumored MacBook models with touch-enabled OLED displays will stick with MacBook Pro branding instead of the once-rumored "MacBook Ultra" name. The long-rumored "iPhone Ultra" ended up being named iPhone Duo, so speculation that Apple...

• 160 comments

Top Rated Comments

cateye

41 months ago

"Japanese Rural Life Adventure," soon to be followed by "Akron Ohio Tire Factory Worker Sim," "Mexico City Family Masa Bagging Festival Platformer," and the magical and amazing update to last year's Apple Arcade exclusive, "It's Yet Another God**** Derivative Match 3 Game Except This Time It's Vaguely Fruit or Perhaps Vegetable-like Multicolor Blobs And Sometimes They Explode For No Real Reason And Then The Game Crashes" Truly, Apple gets gaming with these stunners!

Meanwhile, I'm playing Starfield on my Series X.

Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)

cateye

41 months ago

I wonder why Arcade is as inexpensive as it is?

Because Apple's seed funding to developers, and the payout system for AA, is extremely low. Real games on other platforms tend to run tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars to produce and involve vast teams of producers, programmers, artists, modelers, and other specialists. AA titles generally get mid 5-figures in seed money from Apple, are produced by small indie shops (not exclusively, of course, but the majority of them), and Apple has requested developers focus on low impact "diversion"-style games with low barrier to entry. Basically, ultra-simple mobile-first "games."

There's no sin in enjoying games like that—people should enjoy what they want to enjoy without people like me casting aspersions. But don't be surprised if people who expect more from games as an art form find Apple's boomer-something approach lackluster, low ambition, and low reward.

Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)

pacmania1982

41 months ago

I know it's not on Apple Arcade, but I wish they'd hurry up and release Stray for the Mac. I can't wait for it!!

Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)

NickTuesday

41 months ago

I think Arcade is awesome!!!. The Apple TV is amazing. Put the machine to sleep and you can resume your game in 3 seconds. Since I always listen to podcasts,the podcast app is a godsend while playing.
I purposely put Fantasian (must finish now since it's being tested for Steam and it might leave Arcade) on the back burner because I didn't want it color my thoughts on other games. 3 months later I am enjoying the service. Now we get 007.

Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)

cateye

41 months ago

But the games on Xbox Gamepass doesn't run on phones.

No question—even I can see the value of Apple Arcade as an iPhone gaming service. Especially given what a trash fire the free-to-play/in-app-purchase model has made mobile gaming otherwise. The lack of advertising or IAPs is its killer feature; credit where credit is due. But, it's an unbelievably weak service as a stand-in for a healthy gaming ecosystem on the Mac.

Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)