iPhone Gaming Is Convoluted. Here's What the iPhone 17 Needs to Sway Me as a Gamer

CNET

2 days ago

I've been trying to use my iPhone as a gaming handheld for years but I often hit the same roadblocks when trying to have it replace my Nintendo Switch when I travel. And it's not for lack of Apple and other companies trying, as there's tons of gaming content available for the iPhone between titles that run directly from the device to more-intensive games that I can stream over a strong internet connection.
Gaming on the iPhone is more convoluted than it should be and it's frankly easier to do on Android. For example, the openness of Android's operating system makes it easy for me to install alternate stores like the Epic Games Store. And there's also a longer history of companies developing Android phones that are optimized for gaming, offering high refresh displays and responsive screens that are easier to use for fast-paced games.
But Apple appears to be refining its gaming experience with iOS 26, partly with a new Games app that serves as a dedicated hub similar to what I see on gaming phones from RedMagic and Asus.
However, it's going to take more than adding a fancy gaming menu to make the iPhone feel more like a Steam Deck or a Switch. Here are a few of the issues I experience when trying to game on the go with the iPhone, and what I think Apple could do with the iPhone 17 and iOS 26 to provide a more compelling alternative to more traditional platforms.
The Backbone One provides a good grip for playing games but at $100 it's expensive.
Mike Sorrentino/CNET
The iPhone 17 needs a good controller
There are so many options for connecting gaming controllers to an iPhone, but none fit exactly right. I've purchased clips that let me tether my iPhone with an Xbox controller, which are relatively cheap and easy to find between $10 and $30 . These are great for letting me use my console controller with the iPhone, and I can choose to either use a Bluetooth connection or hardwire my controller to the iPhone. Yet they aren't great for use while on a train or for long periods, because they start feeling heavy because they support the entire iPhone's weight. Not to mention my concern if a bumpy moment on the train might shake the phone out of the clip, potentially leading to an unwelcome fumble for my phone.
If you want a more comfortable gaming experience, controllers like the Backbone One let you slot your iPhone in like it's a Nintendo Switch. These are the most ideal because you have a solid grip on your device, have console-like controls and -- in the case of the Backbone -- you are hardwired into the controller to reduce latency. But at $100, the Backbone One specifically is quite expensive (I was thrilled when a colleague had a review unit I could borrow). The iPhone itself is an expensive device, and I don't want to have to spend an extra $100 on a controller just to make it better for gaming.
Apple has dodged the matter of having a good gaming controller by lending its endorsement to a variety of products. Sometimes you'll even see the Apple TV paired up with Sony's DualShock controller at an Apple Store for Apple Arcade demos. While I do appreciate the iPhone's universal compatibility with different gaming controllers, it might help if Apple were to officially partner with at least one controller for what the company would consider an "ideal" experience for gaming on the iPhone. Perhaps it could be a controller grip that makes use of MagSafe as an attachment, or even a controller created in partnership with a third-party like 8BitDo. The goal wouldn't be to replace the freedom of using any controller you want but to perhaps bring a coherent experience to what would be the most ideal way to even get started with playing games on your iPhone.
Sayonara Wild Hearts launched on Apple Arcade and can be played on the iPhone, iPad and Apple TV (pictured here) with the subscription. Or you could buy it on a console and just own it.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Apple Arcade's subscription is nice but not flexible
When the Apple Arcade subscription service launched in 2019, it promised a library of high-quality games that would mostly be exclusives and run locally on the iPhone. Six years later, Apple Arcade is still here but has become a place where some games become trapped. For instance, Sega released Sonic Dream Team in 2023 on Apple Arcade to largely positive reviews. Two years later, Sonic Dream Team is still only available on Apple Arcade and there isn't even an option to just buy the game a la carte.
While streaming exclusives are common on video services like Netflix and Amazon Prime, for gaming it's not ideal for me to only be able to access a title while I have an active subscription. I like to play through a number of games in short doses. While Sonic Dream Team isn't a long game, it's one that I would probably play over a span of months in between Fortnite matches or playing Sonic Mania.
Because Apple Arcade focuses exclusively on mobile platforms, some of these titles do get released on consoles and the PC. For instance, Sayonara Wild Hearts launched on Apple Arcade and on all three major consoles. It's a game that I still enjoy -- especially the narration by Queen Latifah and its gorgeous art style -- and it's one that I simply purchased on Nintendo Switch to make it easier to access than on maintaining an Apple Arcade subscription.
Xbox Game Pass streaming runs inside of a web app, which does indeed look a lot like a native app downloaded from the App Store. But there are small quirks that remind you that it is running inside of a web browser.
Mike Sorrentino/CNET
Let streaming apps run natively on the iPhone 17
Apple has a complicated relationship with game streaming services. For instance, when Microsoft wanted to bring Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (then referred to as Xcloud) in 2020 to the iPhone, Apple apparently blocked the attempt and required Microsoft to individually list each game on the service as a separate app in the App Store. Microsoft responded by developing a web app that circumvents the need to get Apple's approval, which is still in use today for streaming titles from the Xbox Game Pass library. It's a similar situation for Amazon's Luna cloud gaming service and the defunct Stadia service from Google.
I've been using Xbox Game Pass Ultimate on the iPhone through this web app for years and, while it largely works, there's definitely some kinks to this workaround. I often need to log back into the web app if it's been a few days since I've last used it, and even though the app is designed well, I can't help but think that the web app introduces some additional latency to the experience. While this is not something I can test, I can say that cloud gaming is still highly-dependent on a strong internet connection, and even with a 5G internet signal it's often challenging to use a cloud gaming service for a long period of time.
I'd like to see Apple dial down some of these requirements because it just serves as a barrier for me from accessing games that I play through a subscription I pay for. A cloud gaming service like Xbox Game Pass would likely be able to take better advantage of the iPhone by running as a local app, and hopefully provide better performance because using such a service is bandwidth-intensive. By limiting these services further to just a web app, it's blocking them.
Apple does allow some game streaming in limited circumstances on apps you can download from the App Store. You can stream a game that's on your console using Microsoft's Xbox app or Sony's PS Remote Play app, which is then reliant on the strength of your home internet connection to stream to your phone. You can also use Nvidia's GeForce Now to stream some games you own from stores like Steam.
26 More Things Hidden in iOS 26 26 More Things Hidden in iOS 26
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26 More Things Hidden in iOS 26
Now is a great time for Apple to make the iPhone a gaming device
With the cost of technology fluctuating right now partly because of tariffs, it's a particularly opportune time for Apple to make the iPhone a more friendly place to game. We're already seeing prices rise across all Xbox consoles and older Nintendo Switch handhelds. If Apple could position the iPhone as an easy way to play console-quality titles without needing to buy additional hardware, an argument could be made that your phone could be enough for portable gaming.
We'll likely find out more about Apple's plans for gaming whenever the company announces the iPhone 17, which is presumed to take place this fall. You can also check out early impressions of the Games app in iOS 26, which my colleague Zachary McAuliffe has been testing.