It is reported that Apple plans its own game distribution service like 'game Netflix'

by Medhat Dawoud

Cheddar of foreign media reports that "Apple is planning its own game subscription service" based on information obtained from five sources.

Apple Plans Gaming Subscription Service: Sources on Cheddar
https://cheddar.com/videos/apple-plans-gaming-subscription-service-sources

Report: Apple Considering Game Publishing, Subscription Service - Game Informer
https://www.gameinformer.com/2019/01/28/report-apple-considering-game-publishing-subscription-service

According to Cheddar, Apple's planned game subscription service seems to be that users subscribed like "game Netflix" can freely play game titles distributed on the platform. According to sources, Apple said discussions with game developers and subscription services began in late 2018.

It is unclear how much service usage fee will be, and what kinds of games Apple offers. Apple's game distribution service is still in its early stages of development, "Apple could eventually give up on services," Cheddar wrote.

According to two sources, Apple is discussing with developers and publishers in a direction to partner. Cheddar wrote, "It is an indication of Apple's ambition, as it is that Apple takes over the marketing and other related costs of games delivered on the service.

Cheddar points out why Apple is launching its own game distribution service, "Apple is trying to grow its service business, as sales of hardware business are leveling off." Indeed, in addition to game distribution services, Apple is said to be partning with telecom operators to expand Apple Music subscribers, and in 2019 they are planning to release news subscription services.

It is unknown what types of games will be included in Apple's game distribution service, but if a new game distribution service is added to the App Store, it will be difficult for iPhone sales to decelerate, e There is plenty of possibility that it will be supported by the sports field. The survey company Newzoo predicts that the size of the mobile game market will expand to about 100 billion dollars (about 10 trillion yen) by 2021.

Gene Munster, who has long worked as an Apple-related analyst at venture capital Loup Ventures, said "(the game market) is a market that is large enough to play an important role for Apple."

It is still a mystery to see how Apple's game distribution service will function, but Brandon Ross, an analyst who is in charge of the game industry at securities company BTIG, said, "To subscribe to monetize on mobile It is obvious that it is a successful example of the game, but there are only a few successful cases such as Microsoft, Sony, EA, etc. in terms of the game, "says the case where the subscription succeeded in the field of" mobile game " It also points out that it is few.

Subscription services such as iCloud and Apple Music are among the fastest growing business areas of Apple. Apple's Tim Cook CEO has set the goal of increasing service business sales to $ 50 billion (about 5.5 million yen) by 2020, sales in the service business in fiscal year 2008 is 39.7 billion It was a million dollars (about 4 trillion yen). In order to achieve the goal, adding a new "game distribution service" to a strong subscription service may be a policy that can be considered sufficiently.

Apple 's spokespeople refrain from commenting on the game delivery service being developed.