PC Game Development in Unity for Apple Arcade

Customers are leaving for competitors, and your game isn’t in Apple Arcade

Your potential players are already subscribed to Apple Arcade, but your game isn’t in the catalog. They spend time on competitors’ projects, and you lose audience and revenue.

The subscription service changes the rules: users don’t buy games individually; they choose from a curated selection. The one who makes it onto that list in time gets the attention.

While your game is absent from Apple Arcade, you’re missing more than just audience attention. Every month, subscribers try new releases, and the projects featured there build a habit of returning to them.

Your product remains outside this demand, and competitors strengthen their position at your expense.

Getting into a subscription service requires quality game development and a precise understanding of the platform’s requirements. We take on the full path from concept to game release: we design mechanics, package the interface, test, and polish until it’s ready. The client receives a game that meets Apple Arcade standards and a clear submission plan.

We cover this: our projects pass moderation, are adapted for touch controls, and run stably on current devices. Releasing a game on Apple Arcade means reaching a new audience and predictable monetization without the risk of losing user interest. Shall we check how quickly your game can get into the catalog?

What a game in a subscription service gives a business

Subscription services are changing the rules of the video game market. Instead of a one-time purchase, users get access to an entire library for a fixed fee.

For business, this means a game is no longer a one-off product but becomes a tool for long-term engagement with the audience.

Apple Arcade is one of the most prominent subscription platforms, already home to a paying audience. A subscriber has already paid for access, so it’s easy for them to press “install” on your game.

The entry barrier almost disappears: no need to compare prices, hesitate about a purchase, or risk money. As a result, your game instantly reaches thousands of new users.

For a brand, this is a direct route to recognition. Your product lands in the same catalog as major publishers and independent studios, and users try it without extra advertising. Everyone who plays sees your logo, name, and style — and remembers them.

The game becomes a carrier of your brand, continuing to work even after the subscriber closes the app.

From a financial perspective, a subscription is a new revenue model that differs from classic copy sales. Developer compensation is based on time spent in the game and the number of active users.

This encourages making a product lively and interesting, and for business it provides a predictable flow of funds that grows with audience retention. You plan your budget based on real metrics, not one-time sales spikes.

We help develop a game to Apple Arcade requirements and structure it to deliver the maximum of these benefits. Let’s discuss your idea and show how it could look on this platform.

Game development formats for a subscription catalog

In the Apple Arcade subscription catalog, users don’t pay for each game separately — they expect the subscription to give access to diverse, high-quality projects.

This changes the development approach: a game must not only look good but also regularly receive updates, engage players, and hold their attention.

That’s why choosing the development format directly affects how quickly you enter the catalog and how long the game remains in demand.

We work with different scenarios — from a full game creation cycle to adapting existing projects. This lets each client choose the format that best fits their goals, resources, and timelines.

In any case, you get a game that fully meets Apple Arcade requirements, plus support at every stage.

Formats of cooperation

How the work on a game is structured from brief to release

You order a game not for the process but for the result — a product released on time that players enjoy and that pays back the investment. So we structure the work as a transparent route: you always know what’s happening, what’s next, and when it will be ready.

Work stages

1. Brief and analysis. We start with your goals: who the game is for, what the audience is, what will hook them. We pin down the idea, timeline, and budget — so there are no surprises midway.

2. Concept and prototype. We show the game mechanics in draft form and the visual style. You try it, evaluate it, make changes — before we invest in full development. This saves time and money.

3. Production plan. We break the project into clear stages: from the first level to final polish. Each stage has a date and a person responsible. You get a calendar plan and understand what’s happening at any moment.

4. Approval of key decisions. Every 1-2 weeks we show a playable version or important elements: characters, levels, balance. You influence the project without digging into technical details.

5. Build and testing. We assemble the complete game and test it on real devices the way users would. We fix bugs, fine-tune controls and settings — so the release has no “rough edges.”

6. Release and launch preparation. We help pass moderation, set up the game’s page, and prepare descriptions and screenshots. If the game launches on Apple Arcade, we account for platform requirements in advance so the launch goes smoothly the first time.

7. Support and evolution. After release, we watch player reactions, collect statistics, and suggest improvements for the next update. A game is a living product, and we stay in touch once it’s on the store.

This process protects against the main risks: “the game didn’t turn out the way we wanted” and “deadlines slipped.” You’re always close to the project, while we handle all the technical and organizational work.

In the end, you get not just a game file, but a complete digital product with its own audience and a clear growth strategy.

What’s included in the game delivery and what you receive

You get not just a game, but a finished product that can be submitted to Apple Arcade and handed off to support. We put together the full package: from the compiled app to moderation documents, so you don’t have to finish anything or chase the developers for extras.

Here’s what’s included in the delivery:

• A ready game build — a compiled project for Apple Arcade, tested on real devices and compliant with App Store requirements. You submit it for moderation right away.
• Source code and Unity project — full access to sources, scenes, and assets. You’re not tied to a specific vendor: your team can continue developing the game or hand it to another contractor.
• Moderation documents — game description, screenshots, video preview, privacy settings, and all necessary metadata. We prepare these ourselves because we know Apple’s requirements.
• Technical documentation — a short manual for your team: how to build the project, where settings are located, how to connect analytics. No “magic,” just clear language.
• Analytics dashboard — configured data collection: retention, progression to levels, average session length. You see how players move through the game and make development decisions based on facts, not guesses.
• Post-release support — during the warranty period, we fix bugs and help with moderation issues. If something goes wrong, you’re never left alone with the problem.
• Update plan — recommendations for content patches and a list of improvements that boost metrics. This is a foundation for the future: the game doesn’t “freeze” at release but grows together with the audience.

This package addresses the client’s biggest fear: getting code that’s impossible to work with. Instead, you receive a comprehensible product, support, and management tools — everything you need to launch and scale.

Case study: how we launched a game on Apple Arcade

For a European casual game developer, we released a puzzle game on Apple Arcade — from concept to publication in 7 months. We assembled a team, designed the game, developed it in Unity, and brought it to the app store. The release went live simultaneously in 40 countries, including the US, UK, and Japan.

In the first month, more than 250,000 players installed the game. Day-30 retention was 38% — almost twice the genre average.

Over the year, the project received more than 6,000 ratings with an average score of 4.7 stars, and Apple’s editors featured it in thematic collections twice. Each such feature brought about 100,000 new users within a week.

We configured the game in advance to meet Apple Arcade subscription requirements: short sessions, gamepad support, family-friendly rating, and no in-app purchases. We ran a closed beta with several thousand real players to polish the first minutes of gameplay. That’s what determines whether a person stays after the first session.

For the client, the result is stable subscription revenue and a strong case for conversations with other platforms. The studio is now preparing a second project with us using the same model.

If you want to replicate this launch — tell us about your idea; we’ll show you a plan for entering Apple Arcade and provide metric forecasts based on your mechanics.

How to choose the right development format for your task?

It depends on your starting point: whether you have an established team and a clear budget for the project. If the goal is to quickly get a game that meets Apple Arcade requirements and immediately enters the subscription catalog, full-cycle development is the wiser choice.

If your team is only missing certain specialists — a game designer, artist, or optimization engineer — then a separate-stages format will suit you.

Separate stages are targeted contractor work inside your process. You set a task, for example, make a vertical slice or work out the game economy, and get the result within the agreed time.

This is convenient when you already have a team and want to close a specific gap without expanding headcount. The contractor integrates into your process, works with your tools, and hands over all source files — you remain the product owner.

Full cycle is turnkey game development: from concept and gameplay prototype to publication in the subscription catalog. Apple Arcade’s subscription model imposes strict requirements on a game’s stability, maintainability, and engagement.

An experienced contractor handles the entire process, and you get a finished product that has already passed internal checks and is ready for release. This is especially important if you don’t have your own technical team or want to minimize risks.

The main risk when choosing a format is uncertainty between stages. If a contractor is responsible only for the prototype and further development stalls because of hiring or budget, you lose time and money.

A full cycle removes this problem: one team is responsible for the whole journey of the game, not a single fragment. This is critical for a subscription catalog because the quality and readiness of the release directly affect your position in the catalog and subscription revenue.

The recommendation is simple: if your goal is to get into Apple Arcade and gain stable user demand, choose full-cycle development from a contractor who has already shipped games to subscription services.

If you have a strong internal team and know exactly what result you expect from a specific stage, you can limit yourself to a separate task. In any case, the contractor should show a portfolio and explain exactly how they will help you achieve your specific business goal.

Addressing the main concerns of clients

Before launching a game on Apple Arcade, clients worry about three things: moderation, deadlines, and technical complexity. These fears are understandable — behind them are budget and product reputation. Our experience says: all of it is manageable.

We take on moderation and technical work, plan timelines with a buffer, and support you through release. You get transparent stages and a predictable outcome — without surprises.

How do you guarantee deadlines are met?

We build timelines with a buffer for moderation and testing. We fix stages, show intermediate results, and warn about risks. That makes the release date predictable.

Is the technical side too complicated for my business?

You don’t need to understand technical details. We work on a professional stack proven in projects for Apple. You manage the process through reports, and we handle all technical matters.

Let’s discuss your game idea — get a consultation

Discussing the idea is the first step to launching a game, but for many it takes weeks of searching for information and second-guessing.

We’ll package your vision into a clear plan: we’ll tell you how to make the game, how long each stage will take, and which solutions are already proven in practice.

After a short conversation, you’ll get not polite promises but a concrete checklist from our team:

• A clear assessment of the idea — whether the concept is worth developing, what audience awaits it, and what can be improved before development starts.
• A project plan for ordering development — a step-by-step route from prototype to Apple Arcade release with realistic timelines.
• The optimal team composition for your task: game designer, programmer, artist — without unnecessary roles or overspending.
• Recommendations on features and mechanics that boost engagement and help pass Apple Arcade moderation.
• A transparent commercial offer — you know in advance what you’re paying for and what result you’ll get at each stage.
• A launch roadmap: how to prepare the game for subscription, what materials are needed for the storefront, and how to get editorial support.

You don’t need to fill out a brief — just tell us about your idea, and we’ll ask the right questions and propose a solution. Usually the first consultation takes 30-40 minutes, and within a day you receive a summary with a plan.

Leave a request on this page — the development order will start with a conversation that saves you from unnecessary expenses.