Apple gaming app to launch as Nintendo Switch 2 release looms, says report – The Shortcut | Matt Swider

• 🎮 Apple is rumored to release a new gaming app this fall

• 📱 It’ll reportedly be designed to highlight all the games available on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and more

• 🎯 The app will replace Game Center

• 🕹️ The stronger emphasis on gaming comes as Nintendo Switch 2 gears up for launch

• 📅 The new gaming app will reportedly launch later this year alongside iOS 19

Apple might take its emphasis on gaming to a new level this year.

The company is rumored to release a new gaming app designed to replace Game Center, according to a report from Bloomberg. The app will serve as a sort of marketplace to promote all the games you can play on Apple devices, as well as promote titles in Apple Arcade. It’ll be similar to the Xbox app, according to a 9to5Mac report from last year.

The news comes just over a week before the Nintendo Switch 2 release date.

The new app will attempt to categorize Apple as a leader in the gaming market. It’ll reportedly come pre-installed on the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV later this year, which likely means it’ll launch alongside iOS 19 and the rest of Apple’s 2025 software upgrades.

It also means there will be a slew of devices ready for gaming in Apple’s lineup, which the company reportedly hopes will give them a leg-up on the competition when consumers are deciding on a new cloud-based gaming device.

The app will replace Game Center and show users their progress in games, achievements, leaderboards, and let you connect with other users. It’ll also feature editorial content like the App Store does. The Mac version will even let you download games from outside the App Store, according to the report.

Apple has been trying to up its gaming chops over the past few years. It’s tried to emphasize the amount of games on its platforms, the power that sits in its devices, and the quality of the experiences time and time again, yet Apple devices remain out of the conversation when you think of portable gaming consoles. With the imminent launch of the Switch 2, which is expected to be the most popular gaming console of 2025, it makes sense that Apple would want a chunk of that user base to consider its devices. A renewed focus on games with a new app could help with that.

Max Buondonno is an editor at The Shortcut. He’s been reporting on the latest consumer technology since 2015, with his work featured on CNN Underscored, ZDNET, How-To Geek, XDA, TheStreet, and more. Follow him on X @LegendaryScoop and Instagram @LegendaryScoop.