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.
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.
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.
It’s not surprising that Apple would want to extend its reach in mobile gaming as mobile gaming is a highly profitable industry.
The company Apple, which is well-known for its MacBooks, iPhones, and other stylish gadgets, may create your next favorite video game. The tech behemoth told CNET on Tuesday that it had acquired the two-person studio RAC7, which made the well-known Apple Arcade exclusive Sneaky Sasquatch.
“We are thrilled that the two-person RAC7 team has joined Apple to continue their work on it with us,” an Apple representative wrote in an email. “We love Sneaky Sasquatch.”. “With hundreds of titles from some of the top game developers worldwide, we will keep providing Apple Arcade players with an amazing experience. “..”.
Since RAC7’s 2019 release of Sneaky Sasquatch on Apple Arcade, the studio has consistently released updates. The game was named Apple Arcade Game of the Year by Apple in 2020.
Apple views the acquisition as a way to assist the studio in expanding its game within Apple Arcade, according to Digital Trends, which broke the story of Apple’s acquisition of RAC7. In addition, the report stated that Apple intends to continue collaborating with outside developers to produce games for the service.
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This move may seem strange, but it’s not that out of the ordinary because other businesses that provide gaming services also own gaming studios. A few game studios, such as Spry Fox and Night School Studio, which produced the Cozy Grove and Oxenfree games, respectively, are owned by Netflix Games. Furthermore, it is impossible to overlook Microsoft’s expanding portfolio of game development companies, which includes market titans such as Activision Blizzard and Bethesda.
Given how lucrative mobile gaming is, it is not surprising that Apple would want to increase its presence in this market. In 2023, mobile gaming revenue generated approximately $90 billion, or roughly half of total gaming revenue, according to a 2024 NewZoo report.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Apple decided to consciously enter the lucrative mobile gaming market since it has the ability to distribute mobile games to consumers through Apple Arcade.