Apple launches unified Games app to centralize discovery and social play

Apple is introducing a new centralized hub for gaming across its platforms with the upcoming Apple Games app, set to roll out alongside iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS Tahoe later this year. The app is designed to consolidate game discovery, player engagement, and social interaction into one dedicated space on users’ devices.

The Games app will integrate all games installed via the App Store, including titles from Apple Arcade, while also reviving and expanding the Game Center social experience. This move brings mobile gaming—already the most popular App Store category—into a more curated and interactive environment.

At the core of the Games app is a redesigned discovery experience. The app features a Home tab that offers personalized game recommendations based on users’ play history and friend activity. It also showcases top charts, in-app events, editorial selections, and a “Continue Playing” section. This aims to boost visibility for developers while making it easier for players to jump back into their favorite games or discover new titles.

The Play Together tab marks a notable evolution of Game Center’s social features, allowing users to track achievements, issue challenges, and compare leaderboards with friends. Multiplayer functionality is also highlighted, with tools for inviting friends to play or join competitions directly from within the app. Apple’s Game Center features—including achievements, leaderboards, and multiplayer tracking—are now more prominently surfaced, after years of being tucked away in system settings.

Subscribers to Apple Arcade will find a dedicated tab for exploring its full catalog of titles, including new releases and curated picks. Meanwhile, the Library tab gives users quick access to all their installed games and allows them to redownload previous titles. This includes content from the App Store for mobile devices and games from any supported platform on Mac.

Developers whose games support Game Center and In-App Events will see increased placement opportunities within the Games app. In-app events, such as live competitions or content updates, can now appear on the Home tab, within game pages, in search, and throughout players’ libraries. Game pages mirror App Store listings with details like descriptions, screenshots, and new content updates, offering another surface for promotion.

The app also benefits developers by automatically including any supported games in various parts of the experience—no additional configuration needed. Titles that leverage Game Center’s leaderboard, challenge, and achievement systems are given further visibility through social recommendations and featured placement on new charts like “Top Played.”

Currently in beta, the Apple Games app will be pre-installed on all compatible devices later this fall with the release of iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS Tahoe. Apple positions the app as a new gateway for discovering, playing, and sharing games—an effort that consolidates multiple scattered services into a single, cohesive platform for the Apple gaming ecosystem.