In iOS 26, iPados 26 and MacOS Tahoe, Apple has added a whole new game application designed to be the ideal place for mobile games on Apple devices. The application includes features to discover new games to play, as well as additional modules intended to keep you more committed.
The Games application is quite similar to the Games tab of the App Store, which is not going. It was as if Apple took the game tab and extended it into a complete application.
Home view
The Home tab is the main view of the Games application, and is suitable for each user. He has a “Continue to play” section so that you can access the last game you played with a tap, and there is a large carousel at the top of the interface with projected content such as game suggestions, friends’ achievements and game application features.
You can browse the contents in the Home tab, and it works a lot like today’s suggestions in the App store. There are several sections to scroll for content suggestions, some of which are personalized according to your game history.
Some of the different sections:
- Arcade games for you – include all Apple Arcade title suggestions.
- Friends play – Games that your Game Center friends have recently played.
- Top played to games – a list classified as the most played iOS games.
- Because you have played – suggestions based on a specific title that you have previously played.
- Top Arcade Games – A classified list of the best arcade games apple.
- The new games we love – recently released titles that are not part of apple Arcade.
- New games on apple Arcade – include new titles on apple Arcade, but no other store titles App.
- Try before buying – games with demos that you can play before engaging in a purchase.
- Our most anticipated games – upcoming games with available pre -orders.
- Suggestions of friends – Allows you to invite people to be a friend of the game center via messages.
- The best free games – a list classified from the best free games.
- The best paid games – A list classified from the best games paid in the App store.
Events
Apple has presented events for return games in iOS 15. Events for games are displayed in the game application so that you can see which games offer new content.
Events may include a special limited gameplay, special trophies and articles available for a short period, major content updates, crosses, challenges, etc.
Apple arcade
There is a dedicated tab for Arcadeapple Arcade content, where Apple promotes its game service of $ 6.99 per month. The apple Arcade tab is also divided into different sections with game recommendations, a bit like the apple Arcade section of the App store.
Unified game library
The Games application is divided into four tabs, including Home, Arcade, Play together and library. The Library tab includes all the games you have played on all your devices.
The library allows you to see all your achievements in a single place separated by game, with filters to separate them by platform. There are also quick access links to new titles and events apple Arcade.
Game information
Press a game shows the last time you played it and offers options to launch or download it again if it is something that you have deleted or played on another device.
All games have a detail section of the games that includes clear information on the game note, the type, if there is a controller support and the size of the game.
Social options
In the dedicated Play Together tab, you will see a list of games that your friends play, as well as suggestions for multiplayer games that you can play with someone else. There is also a dedicated challenge tool, which is a new feature.
Multiplayer games
For a multiplayer game, you can press the “Start multiplayer” option, then invite someone to play with you. There is a list of friends with whom you have played multiplayer games before, as well as a party code that you can send to someone and an invitation link.
The two players must run ios 26, ipados 26 or macOS 26 or later to use the multiplayer features that are in the game application.
Multiplayer games are games where you play with one or more additional players at the same time in the cooperative or competitive gameplay.
Challenge
The challenges are a separate multiplayer option for asynchronous competitive gameplay for traditionally solo games.
With the challenges, you can select a game, choose rules or settings for the challenge and compete with friends to win. The challenge options range from the fastest puzzle to obtain the highest scoring. Each challenge is limited in time, and for most games, you can define a time of one day, three days or a week.
Game center
The game application essentially makes the features of the center of games more important. Game Center has existed for a long time to win achievements and play games with friends, but it was not as important as today.
There is still a game center section in the Settings application, where you can invite friends and control with whom you share your game activity.
When you get a higher score than a friend’s score in a game you are both playing, you will see a pop-up.
Game mode
When you start a game, the game mode is activated. If you press Control Center with game mode, you will see a “overlapping” option. Press this and you can see rankings, invite friends to play and control the game settings such as sound level, display brightness and controller settings.
With the game mode, you can access the settings of the game center and social tools without having to leave the game you play.
The game mode is not a development method and it does not block notifications or the interruption otherwise of the functioning of the device.
Other game application features
Pressing your profile at the top of the Games app has an option to invite friends to the Game Center and respond to friends’ requests, and you can see your challenge victories and game achievements.
There is also a dedicated search button where you can type the name of a game or draw on different categories of games to find something new to play.
For developers
Developers can create challenges and multiplayer activities that will appear in the game application for better visibility of the game.
Compatibility of devices
The use of new features of the Games application requires a device that is able to execute ios 26, ipados 26 or MacOS Tahoe. For the features of applying new games such as challenges, the two users must have a device with the latest software.
The Games app is intended for gameplay with other Apple users, and there is no feature to play games with people who have Android devices or use other platforms.
Learn more
We have a Complete iOS 26 Roundup which covers all the new features available in the update.
