Latest news with #SneakySasquatch
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Apple has bought a game studio for the first time
is buying a game developer. The company has purchased RAC7, makers of Sneaky Sasquatch. This is the first time in Apple's history it has purchased a game maker. Apple is wading even deeper into the deep end of gaming. The tech giant, for the first time in its history, has bought a game developer, acquiring RAC7, a two-person team behind the Apple Arcade hit Sneaky Sasquatch. 'We love Sneaky Sasquatch and are excited that the 2-person RAC7 team has joined Apple to continue their work on it with us,' Apple said in a statement to Fortune. 'We will continue to deliver a great experience for Apple Arcade players with hundreds of games from many of the best game developers in the world.' Apple, for years, kept a distance between itself and games, even as electronic entertainment proved to be one of the most popular categories in the app store. In 2019, it launched Apple Arcade, a library of over 200 ad-free games, which currently costs $6.99 per month. Still, though, it steered clear of making the games itself. Among the launch titles was Sneaky Sasquatch, and the game's popularity has never wavered. Players play as Bigfoot, tiptoeing around the forest in stealth mode, eventually learning to drive cars, disguise themselves and ski, while avoiding capture. Apple's purchase follows similar moves by Netflix, which has been expanding its presence in the gaming world and purchasing game studios. The reason for the land grab is exactly what you would expect. There's big money in mobile games. A 2024 report from NewZoo found mobile gaming revenue accounted for about half of all gaming revenue in 2023, totaling nearly $90 billion. Games also keep people's attention focused on their screens and can build brand loyalty (just as Sony, Nintendo or Microsoft can attest). By increasing its focus on gaming, Apple could further lock customers into its ecosystem, ensuring they upgrade their device rather than switching to a Samsung or other Android phone. This story was originally featured on Sign in to access your portfolio
Time of India
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Apple buys its first-ever video game studio; promises to deliver ‘great experience' for Arcade
has acquired RAC7, the two-person video game developer known for the Apple Arcade hit Sneaky Sasquatch. This marks the Cupertino-based tech giant's first-ever acquisition of a video game studio. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Apple has described this move as a unique situation, indicating a specific interest in RAC7's work. The studio's previous credits include indie titles Dark Echo and Splitter Critters. In 2019, RAC7 released Sneaky Sasquatch as an Apple Arcade exclusive. The adventure game emerged as a notable success among the service's launch titles and has received consistent updates since its release. With this acquisition, the RAC7 team will now continue its partnership with Apple as an internal studio, with Apple promising to deliver a "great experience for Apple Arcade." What Apple said about acquiring its first-ever video game studio In a statement to Digital Trends, an Apple spokesperson said: 'We love Sneaky Sasquatch and are excited that the 2-person RAC7 team has joined Apple to continue their work on it with us. We will continue to deliver a great experience for Apple Arcade players with hundreds of games from many of the best game developers in the world.' Apple's acquisition of indie studio RAC7 is not part of a broad new gaming strategy but rather a specific opportunity to expand Apple Arcade's offerings, the report claims. Apple plans to continue working with a range of third-party studios, both large and small, to develop games for the service. While the deal may seem unexpected to those not closely following Arcade, it fits within the platform's existing model. Earlier, Apple Arcade Senior Director Alex Rofman highlighted Sneaky Sasquatch as a standout title whose popularity extends to real-world events like birthday parties. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Since its launch in 2019, Arcade has relied on a select group of indie developers—such as RAC7, Lykke Studios, and Triband Games—to release new titles each month. Recent additions include a fresh Katamari Damacy entry, a sequel to Space Invaders: Infinity Gene, and Gears & Goo for Apple Vision Pro. Despite RAC7's purchase being an isolated case, it underscores Apple's ongoing support for its subscription gaming service . This call will steal your money: "Family Scam" working & how to protect yourself!
Metro
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
Apple to rival Switch 2 launch with new gaming app
Apple is set to debut a new gaming app around the Switch 2's launch, as the company looks to push further into the gaming space. While Apple is a key player in the games industry in terms of market share, through its Apple Arcade subscription service and App Store profits, it isn't exactly considered a major player when compared to Sony or Microsoft. This is most likely because Apple doesn't actually make or publish games, but it seems the company wants to change this perception – both through a new acquisition and a revamped app. According to reports, Apple is planning to release a dedicated app for video games which will serve as a launcher for titles and unify other features, including leaderboards, social features, editorial content from Apple, and in-game achievements. As reported by Bloomberg, the new app is designed to replace Apple's Game Center, a social hub which launched in 2010 and has been largely unsupported over recent years. It's claimed the app will be shown during Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference on June 9, 2025, which is just four days after the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2. It's said the app will be released in September as part of Apple's next iOS version, and will come preinstalled across iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV set-top boxes later this year. Apple is making other moves in the gaming space too. As reported by Digital Trends, the company has acquired its first ever game studio in RAC7 Games, the two-person team behind the Apple Arcade hit Sneaky Sasquatch. It's unclear if this acquisition is a sign of things to come from Apple, but the report describes the move as a product of 'unique circumstance', as the company looks to help the team grow Sneaky Sasquatch further on Apple Arcade. More Trending 'We love Sneaky Sasquatch and are excited that the two-person RAC7 team has joined Apple to continue their work on it with us,' an Apple spokesperson told the outlet. 'We will continue to deliver a great experience for Apple Arcade players with hundreds of games from many of the best game developers in the world.' It remains to be seen if this revamped app and acquisition will lead to a bigger shift in Apple's gaming plans down the line, but it's certainly an interesting push. In recent years, iOS ports of Resident Evil 4 Remake, Assassin's Creed Mirage, and Death Stranding have been released, although none of them have sold well on the platform. Beyond Apple's plans and the Switch 2 launch, next month looks set to be a stacked month for gaming at large, with Summer Game Fest, an Xbox showcase, and a potential State Of Play, all on the horizon. Email gamecentral@ leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter, and sign-up to our newsletter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader's Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here. For more stories like this, check our Gaming page. MORE: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 sells 3.3 million copies after 33 days MORE: First Nintendo Switch 2 unboxing has already happened but there's a catch MORE: Facebook, Apple, Google and Netflix hit by massive login and password data leak
Express Tribune
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Apple to unveil dedicated gaming app at WWDC 2025
View of an Apple logo at an Apple store in Paris, France, April 23, 2025. PHOTO:REUTERS Apple is set to introduce a new dedicated gaming app at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2025, scheduled for June 9–13, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman report. This app aims to centralize gaming features across iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV, replacing the existing Game Center. Bloomberg reports the app will serve as a hub for launching games, tracking achievements, viewing leaderboards, and accessing editorial content. It will also provide quick links to the App Store's game section and highlight Apple Arcade, the company's \$6.99/month subscription service. NEW: Apple is planning a dedicated app for video games on its devices, seeking to sell gamers and developers on the idea that it's a leader in the market. — Mark Gurman (@markgurman) May 27, 2025 The new gaming app is expected to be pre-installed with iOS 19, slated for release in September 2025. Features will include a "Play Now" tab for curated game recommendations, integration with FaceTime and iMessage for social interactions, and support for App Clips to offer mini-game demos . Additionally, The Verge reports that Mac-specific feature will allow users to play games downloaded from outside the App Store. In a strategic move to bolster its gaming portfolio, Apple has acquired RAC7 Games, the studio behind the popular Apple Arcade title *Sneaky Sasquatch*. RAC7 will continue to operate independently within Apple. Despite these initiatives, Apple faces challenges in gaining significant traction in the gaming market, particularly on Mac devices, which are often perceived as less capable than Windows PCs for gaming. According to Tech in Asia, Apple's acquisition of RAC7 Games, reported by Tech in Asia, marks its first gaming studio purchase and signals a strategic shift from platform provider to content creator. Known for the hit Apple Arcade title Sneaky Sasquatch, RAC7 strengthens Apple's push for exclusive, curated gaming experiences—mirroring its content strategy seen in Apple TV+. The upcoming gaming app represents Apple's most substantial effort to date to establish a stronger presence in the gaming industry.
CNET
4 days ago
- Business
- CNET
Apple Buys Its First Ever Video Game Studio
Apple, best known for iPhones, MacBooks and other sleek devices, might make your next favorite video game. The tech giant on Tuesday confirmed to CNET that it bought the two-person studio RAC7 -- the same studio that created the popular Apple Arcade exclusive Sneaky Sasquatch. "We love Sneaky Sasquatch and are excited that the two-person RAC7 team has joined Apple to continue their work on it with us," an Apple spokesperson said in an email. "We will continue to deliver a great experience for Apple Arcade players with hundreds of games from many of the best game developers in the world." RAC7 released Sneaky Sasquatch on Apple Arcade in 2019, and the studio has released regular updates since then. In 2020, Apple awarded that game Apple Arcade Game of the Year. James Martin/CNET According to Digital Trends, which first reported on Apple's purchase of RAC7, Apple sees the acquisition as a means to help the studio grow its game within Apple Arcade. The report also said Apple plans to keep working with third-party studios to create games for the service. Read more: Your Next Favorite Console is Already in Your Pocket While this move seems odd, it's not that unusual since other companies with gaming services own gaming studios. For example, Netflix Games owns a handful of gaming studios, including Spry Fox and Night School Studio, which created the Cozy Grove and Oxenfree games, respectively. And who could forget about Microsoft's growing list of gaming studios, including industry heavy-hitters like Activision Blizzard and Bethesda? It's not surprising that Apple would want to extend its reach in mobile gaming as mobile gaming is a highly profitable industry. According to a 2024 NewZoo report, mobile gaming revenue accounted for about half of all gaming revenue in 2023, bringing in about $90 billion. Apple has a means to deliver mobile games to people via Apple Arcade, so I wouldn't be shocked if the company made a deliberate move into the profitable mobile gaming industry. For more on Apple Arcade, here are the games coming to the service in June and what you should know about the service.
