Fantasian has sparked people's interest in Apple Arcade like we haven't seen since it came out in September XNUMX, which is crazy considering the service has tripled its launch catalog. from sixty games to more than one hundred and eighty today. If Apple wants its gaming service's user base to grow, it should take a lesson from another gaming service that's only grown on subscriptions and advertising: Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass. It's essential to present the way Apple Arcade has been presented: a service without microtransactions or ads that interrupt the playback of a curated selection of games that are guaranteed to recreate, not offend. The developers also got a good deal, with an (as yet undisclosed) amount of financial support to make the games they want without needing to get into any revenue-generating mechanics. There are gamers in particular that Apple Arcade clearly appealed to: casual mobile gaming enthusiasts, microtransaction-weary gamers who just wanted distraction-free experiences, parents who didn't want to worry about what their kids were playing. Mais lors du release in September XNUMX, I don't know without comment Apple Arcade attirerait plus de joueurs - a question that persists aujourd'hui until the service advances à plein régime en ajoutant discrètement des jeux qui, pour la plupart, no sont pas hypnotized in advance. Perhaps Apple is happy to occupy little space in the world of video games; Apple Arcade immediately appreciated in value last September when Apple One was added to the bundle as well as services like Apple TV Plus, Apple Music and Apple Fitness Plus. But Fantasian is the caveat that proves that Apple Arcade could be a lot more if it just played into the gaming hype cycle like Microsoft does with Xbox Game Pass.
Game Pass: Supports the hype
Although Xbox Game Pass started with a foundation of Microsoft-owned titles — the Halo, Forza, Gears of War, and Minecraft titles that formed the basis of proprietary releases on Xbox consoles — the service has grown to become the best value in the world. game. in recent times with their timely additions of coveted titles. And Microsoft hasn't shy away from promoting upcoming games on Game Pass. That's how we found out that the service was getting Square Enix's third-person shooter Outriders on launch day, pushing the game a month before its release in a way that brought more interest to the game, an unknown IP address. The team that runs Game Pass builds on its role in the hype cycle, sparking new additions by publishing 'emails' from the fictional and farcical Melissa McGamepass, EVP of General Video Game Communications. It's crazy silliness, but it adds a bit of levity that tames some of the intense energy surrounding the game, like this one that 'leaks' out of the Outriders arriving on duty before a more buttoned-up official blog post just confirm the news.There's probably a hint of a game in here somewhere, honestly we can't even track down all the announcements lately pic.twitter.com/Qz6LmX1Cs4 March 12, 2021 More Game Pass and the Xbox Blog regularly communicate upcoming games to the service and they give plenty of notice, even for games coming out this year that don't have a release date yet. This is how we found out that of the many games announced during the ID@Xbox online showcase in March, around 20 would be available on Game Pass, according to an official blog post. They included games like the charming Boyfriend's Dungeon with your weapons and the Moebius-esque Saber that wowed the crowd at E3 2018, which we knew about before and were most excited to see coming to the service. We knew about the games because they, like Outriders, had followed the traditional gaming hype channels: early trailers, theatrical gameplay, multi-platform announcements, and connecting with fans who loved their installations. This hype only increased when we found out they were going to access a service we already subscribed to. That's why, when we saw Apple start talking openly and early about Fantasian, we were shocked: Apple doesn't really do advanced gaming press. And we wonder how that would change the service if Apple could work with the gaming hype cycle as it exists today, openly embracing many more titles that are already generating interest rather than cultivating their development under a cloud of secrecy.
Coming soon to Apple Arcade: Fantasian. He enters a beautifully designed and crafted world and discovers the mystery of a strange mechanical infection that is slowly engulfing everything known to humanity. Click for a reminder when available: https://t.co/xFwsia7Vcm pic.twitter.com/wiJA9SQWcL March 2, 2021 Learn more