In iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS Tahoe, Apple added an all-new Games app that's designed to be the go-to place for mobile gaming on Apple devices. The app includes features for discovering new games to play, along with add-ons meant to keep you more engaged.
The Games app is pretty similar to the Games tab in the App Store, which isn't going anywhere. It's as if Apple took the Games tab and expanded it into a full app.
Home View
The Home tab is the main view of the Games app, and it is tailored to each user. It has a "Continue Playing" section so you can get to the last game you've been playing with a tap, and there's a large carousel at the top of the interface with spotlighted content like game suggestions, friend achievements, and Games app features.
You can swipe through the content in the Home tab, and it works a lot like the Today suggestions in the App Store. There are multiple sections to scroll through for content suggestions, some of which is personalized based on your gaming history.
Some of the different sections:
- Arcade Games for You - Includes all Apple Arcade title suggestions.
- Friends Are Playing - Games your Game Center friends have played recently.
- Top Played Games - A ranked list of the most played iOS games.
- Because You Played - Suggestions based on a specific title you previously played.
- Top Arcade Games - A ranked list of the top Apple Arcade games.
- New Games We Love - Recently released titles that aren't part of Apple Arcade.
- New Games on Apple Arcade - Includes the new titles on Apple Arcade, but not other App Store titles.
- Try Before You Buy - Games with demos you can play before you commit to a purchase.
- Our Most Anticipated Games - Upcoming games with pre-orders available.
- Friend Suggestions - Lets you invite people to be a Game Center friend via Messages.
- Top Free Games - A ranked list of the top free-to-play games.
- Top Paid Games - A ranked list of the top paid games in the App Store.
Events
Apple introduced Events for games way back in iOS 15. Events for games are displayed in the Games app so you can see which games are offering fresh content.
Events can include limited time special gameplay, special trophies and items that are available for a short time, major content updates, crossovers, challenges, and more.
Apple Arcade
There is a dedicated tab for Apple Arcade content, where Apple promotes its $6.99 per month gaming service. The Apple Arcade tab is also broken down into different sections with gaming recommendations, much like the Apple Arcade section of the App Store.
Unified Games Library
The Games app is split into four tabs, including Home, Arcade, Play Together, and Library. The Library tab includes all of the games that you have played across all of your devices.
The Library lets you see all of your achievements in one place separated by game, with filters to separate them by platform. There are also quick access links to new Apple Arcade titles and Events.
Game Info
Tapping into a game shows when you last played it and provides options for launching it or downloading it again if it's something that you've deleted or played on a different device.
All games have a Games Details section that includes clear information on the game's rating, type, whether there's controller support, and how large the game is.
Social Options
In the dedicated Play Together tab, you'll see a list of games that your friends are playing, along with suggestions for multiplayer games that you can play with someone else. There's also a dedicated Challenges tool, which is a new feature.
Multiplayer Games
For a multiplayer game, you can tap on the "Start Multiplayer" option and then invite someone to play with you. There's a list of friends that you've played multiplayer games with before, as well as a Party Code you can send to someone and an invite link.
Both players need to be running iOS 26, iPadOS 26, or macOS 26 or later to use the Multiplayer features that are in the Games app.
Multiplayer games are games where you play with one or more additional players at the same time in co-op or competitive gameplay.
Challenges
Challenges are a separate multiplayer option for asynchronous competitive gameplay for games that are traditionally single player.
With Challenges, you can select a game, choose rules or parameters for the challenge, and compete against friends to win. Challenge options range from completing a puzzle the fastest to getting the highest score. Each challenge is time limited, and for most games, you can set a time period of a day, three days, or a week.
Game Center
The Games app essentially makes Game Center features more prominent. Game Center has been around for a long time for earning achievements and playing games with friends, but it hasn't been as prominent as it is now.
There's still a Game Center section in the Settings app, where you can invite friends and control who you share your gaming activity with.
When you get a score that's higher than a friend's score in a game you're both playing, you'll see a pop up.
Game Mode
When you start a game, Game Mode is activated. If you tap into Control Center with Game Mode, you'll see an "Overlay" option. Tap that and you can see leaderboards, invite friends to play, and control game settings like sound level, display brightness, and controller parameters.
With Game Mode, you can access Game Center settings and social tools without having to leave the game that you're playing.
Game Mode is not a Focus mode and it doesn't block notifications or otherwise interrupt device operation.
Other Games App Features
Tapping on your profile at the top of the Games app brings up an option to invite friends to Game Center and respond to friend requests, plus you can see your challenge wins and your game achievements.
There's also a dedicated Search button where you can type in the name of a game or tap through different game categories to find something new to play.
For Developers
Developers can create challenges and multiplayer activities that will show up in the Games app for improved game visibility.
Device Compatibility
Using the new Games app features requires a device that is able to run iOS 26, iPadOS 26, or macOS Tahoe. For the new Games app features like Challenges, both users need to have a device with the latest software.
The Games app is for gameplay with other Apple users, and there's no functionality for playing games with people who have Android devices or use other platforms.
Read More
We have a complete iOS 26 roundup that covers all of the new features that are available in the update.
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