Apple Employees Testing Apple Arcade Ahead of Launch - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Apple Employees Testing Apple Arcade Ahead of Launch

Apple Arcade, Apple's upcoming subscription-based gaming service, was first introduced in March and is set to launch this fall.

Ahead of the upcoming launch, Apple has debuted an early access program for its employees, with screenshots and details shared by 9to5Mac this morning. Apple employees are able to access ‌Apple Arcade‌ for $0.49 per month, with a one month free trial available.

applearcade1
‌Apple Arcade‌ games will be available on the Mac, iOS App Store, and Apple TV, with the screenshots shared today sourced from the Mac App Store. The ‌Apple Arcade‌ tab in Apple's App Stores will feature a selection of highlighted games and different game categories.

Many of the games in development for ‌Apple Arcade‌ have been previously announced, but here are a few Apple is highlighting, along with their descriptions:

Way of the Turtle: "Play as two curious turtles lost on a cursed island in the middle of nowhere. Obtain shells containing special powers such as dash and attack to defeat enemies and overcome different challenges."

Down in Bermuda: "Adventurous aviator Milton left his loving wife and daughter to voyage across the Atlantic on the journey of a lifetime."

Hot Lava: "Hot Lava transports you back to your childhood imagination. Relive those moments of excitement, joy and chaos. Run, jump, climb and surf in first person across nostalgia-packed environments flooded with hot molten lava."

According to 9to5Mac, most of the games right now are still in-development builds, and other titles available to employees include "Sneaky Sasquatch", "Kings of the Castle", "Frogger in Toy Town" and "Lame Game 2."

applearcade2
Apple hasn't shared details on what ‌Apple Arcade‌ will be priced at when it debuts, but it looks like there may be a one-month free trial available for those who would like to try it out.

Apple has said there will be somewhere around 100 games at launch, with no ads and no additional in-app purchases. A single subscription will also allow for up to six family members to access games.

There's no word on when ‌Apple Arcade‌ will launch, but the internal employee test is set to end when iOS 13 launches, so that could potentially be when ‌Apple Arcade‌ will be made available.

For more on ‌Apple Arcade‌, make sure to check out our Apple Arcade guide.

Popular Stories

iOS App Store General Feature Clorange

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

Tuesday October 20, 2026 8:58 pm PDT by
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...
Crossy Road Rush

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

Tuesday October 6, 2026 9:46 am PDT by
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...
M5 MacBook Pro

RIP, MacBook Ultra

Monday October 19, 2026 9:37 am PDT by
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...

Top Rated Comments

Rychiar Avatar
94 months ago
how about some real games?
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Maclver Avatar
94 months ago
Apple is so greedy charging beta testers.
Lol how is .49 greedy??!! They are probably doing that to test out the billing portion?
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macfacts Avatar
94 months ago
Apple is so greedy charging beta testers.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Totemsflare Avatar
94 months ago
I’ve been a gamer all my life but lately have no energy or will to play any of the high-profile games and my PS4 pro is laying dormant. I think the quirkiness of a whole bunch of indie games available in all Apple devices could be a cure. Can’t wait to try this.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Janichsan Avatar
94 months ago
how about some real games?
Define "real games".
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
94 months ago
Define "real games".
Apple is making casual games available- “casual” being games with little to no story line, easy to pick up and play, simple mechanics, no complicated settings or button layouts, short gameplays, requiring no special skills to play, no cutscenes, minimal hardware demands etc.
Opposite being “real games” - longer game play, usually with big storylines, more complicated settings, cutscenes, takes some tome to get into how game works, demands deeper dive into virtual world in general, not just tapping screen in one place for Mario to jump.
Hope my definition clears this clears this up lol.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Latest Stories
Things Updated for iPhone Duo With Adaptive Layout
Things Updated for iPhone Duo With Adaptive Layout
22 minutes ago
Simplicity and Siri AI Are HomeView's Killer Features, Apple Says
Simplicity and Siri AI Are HomeView's Killer Features, Apple Says
46 minutes ago
iPhone Duo Reviewers Really Miss Face ID
iPhone Duo Reviewers Really Miss Face ID
6 hours ago
Does the iPhone Duo Run Hot? Here's What Reviews Found
Does the iPhone Duo Run Hot? Here's What Reviews Found
7 hours ago
Apple Music's New Look is Now Live on Apple's Website
Apple Music's New Look is Now Live on Apple's Website
8 hours ago
Anthropic Launches Claude Duet, a Proactive AI Agent
Anthropic Launches Claude Duet, a Proactive AI Agent
8 hours ago
What 32,000 Folds Did to the iPhone Duo's Hinge
What 32,000 Folds Did to the iPhone Duo's Hinge
9 hours ago
iPhone Duo's Hidden FaceTime Camera Takes 'Trash' Photos
iPhone Duo's Hidden FaceTime Camera Takes 'Trash' Photos
11 hours ago
iPhone Duo Has 'Edge Light' Feature That Debuted on Macs Last Year
iPhone Duo Has 'Edge Light' Feature That Debuted on Macs Last Year
11 hours ago
Apple Support App Updated for iPhone Duo's Larger Display
Apple Support App Updated for iPhone Duo's Larger Display
11 hours ago
Amazon Sweetens the Deal on Entry-Level 16-Inch MacBook Pro With $570 Off
Amazon Sweetens the Deal on Entry-Level 16-Inch MacBook Pro With $570 Off
12 hours ago
iPhone Duo Tips Over on MagSafe Stands When Unfolded
iPhone Duo Tips Over on MagSafe Stands When Unfolded
12 hours ago
Apple Music's New Look Officially Announced
Apple Music's New Look Officially Announced
13 hours ago
iPhone Duo Supports Apple Pencil Starting With iOS 27.2
iPhone Duo Supports Apple Pencil Starting With iOS 27.2
14 hours ago
iPhone Duo Accessories Roundup: Cases and Screen Protectors From OtterBox, ZAGG, and More
iPhone Duo Accessories Roundup: Cases and Screen Protectors From OtterBox, ZAGG, and More
15 hours ago
Apple Stores Will Have 'Limited' Availability of iPhone Duo for Walk-In Customers
Apple Stores Will Have 'Limited' Availability of iPhone Duo for Walk-In Customers
15 hours ago
iPhone Duo Reviews Explain Why Device is Both 'Fun' and 'Frustrating'
iPhone Duo Reviews Explain Why Device is Both 'Fun' and 'Frustrating'
15 hours ago
Apple Says 'Reachability' Feature Coming to iPhone Duo Later This Year
Apple Says 'Reachability' Feature Coming to iPhone Duo Later This Year
17 hours ago
Loop Capital Cuts Apple Rating Over iPhone Sales Outlook
Loop Capital Cuts Apple Rating Over iPhone Sales Outlook
21 hours ago
Apple Stores in Bordeaux and Lille Looted During French Protests
Apple Stores in Bordeaux and Lille Looted During French Protests
21 hours ago
Bluesound Adds Native Apple Music Support
Bluesound Adds Native Apple Music Support
21 hours ago
Apple CEO John Ternus Explains What Makes Good Product Design
Apple CEO John Ternus Explains What Makes Good Product Design
22 hours ago
UK Proposes New Ways to Help Apple Pay Rivals
UK Proposes New Ways to Help Apple Pay Rivals
1 day ago
WhatsApp Developing In-App Browser for All Chat Links on iPhone
WhatsApp Developing In-App Browser for All Chat Links on iPhone
1 day ago
Apple's App Store Chief Explains Its Push for Premium Games
Apple's App Store Chief Explains Its Push for Premium Games
1 day ago
Apple Could Owe Even More After $5.7 Billion Patent Verdict
Apple Could Owe Even More After $5.7 Billion Patent Verdict
1 day ago
Skyrim Comes to Apple Silicon Macs With New Unofficial Installer
Skyrim Comes to Apple Silicon Macs With New Unofficial Installer
1 day ago
Apple Highlights Mac and iPad Use in Paris Design Exhibition
Apple Highlights Mac and iPad Use in Paris Design Exhibition
1 day ago
Apple Seeks 6G Modem Engineers as It Plans for Post-5G iPhones
Apple Seeks 6G Modem Engineers as It Plans for Post-5G iPhones
1 day ago
First iPhone Duo Unboxing Video Appears Ahead of Friday Launch
First iPhone Duo Unboxing Video Appears Ahead of Friday Launch
1 day ago