games

Apple revealed the winners of its prestigious 2025 Apple Design Awards Tuesday, celebrating 12 exceptional apps and games that showcase the very best of what’s possible on Apple devices. And the celebration of Apple Design Awards-winning apps and games will carry on at WWDC25, Apple said.

“Developers continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible, creating apps and games that are not only beautifully designed but also deeply impactful,” said Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations. “We’re excited to celebrate this incredible group of winners and finalists at WWDC and spotlight the innovation and craftsmanship they bring to each experience.”

A new cross-platform application developed by Apple will call attention to games on iPhone, Mac and even Apple TV, according to an unconfirmed report from Tuesday.

It’ll replace the current Game Center, track users’ in-game achievements, give players a way to communicate with other gamers, and more.

Fortnite can once again be installed on iPhones and iPads in the United States, developer Epic Games announced triumphantly on Tuesday. The very popular game is back in the U.S. App Store.

The change comes almost five years after Apple banned the battle royale game in a spat with Epic over in-app payments.

UPDATE: Fortnite returned to the U.S. App Store on May 20.

Epic Games’ hope to get Fortnite reinstated on the U.S. iPhone App Store crashed and burned.  Apple used a letter from one of its lawyers to deny the attempt to let iPhone users in the United States install and play the popular game. This is the latest clash in a long-running dispute between the two companies.

Epic claimed Friday that Apple had also blocked Fortnite in Europe, which Apple denies.

The Backbone Pro game controller that launched Tuesday wraps around your iPhone and connects via USB-C, but it can also connect to your Mac or iPad via cable or Bluetooth. Plus, it adds remappable rear buttons to the standard mix of sticks, triggers, D-pad and more.

Backbone already makes the best iPhone game controller, and my hands-on experience with this new premium version found that it takes mobile gaming to a whole new level.

Ubisoft released Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown on Monday for iPhone, iPad and Android. The award-winning action-adventure platformer challenges players to use Time Powers to defeat time-corrupted enemies and save the land.

The game runs at 60 FPS on recent generations of mobile devices.

Apple Arcade subscribers got a treat April 3 as the gaming service adds six fun new titles to its growing catalog of more than 200 ad-free games. So look out for some updated icons: RollerCoaster Tycoon Classic+, Katamari Damacy Rolling LIVE and Space Invaders Infinity Gene Evolve.

Update: The fresh games are now ready to play on Apple Arcade.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows finally launched on Thursday, and Mac gamers can play the action-packed, role-playing game from Ubisoft at the same time as players on PCs and consoles. Mac owners won’t face the usual wait of months or years. There’s even a version for iPads with M-series processors in development.

The adventure is set in medieval Japan, and players can choose either a samurai or a shinobi (aka ninja) for very different gaming experiences.

Capcom brought Resident Evil 3 to Mac, iPad and iPhone on Tuesday. The latest AAA game to arrive on Apple’s platforms, the 2020 survival horror title lets players use a variety of weapons to fight zombies.

The classic Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light just made its way to iPhone, iPad and Android. It’s an action-puzzler that’s been around for 15 years on other platforms because it’s so much fun to play.

Is the new port to mobile devices worth your time and a bit of cash? Read on.

It’s never too cold to play golf on your Mac or iPhone, and PGA Tour Pro Golf features iconic locations like Pebble Beach Golf Links and Harbour Town Golf Links.

The game just launched on Apple Arcade.

In Skate City: New York, you take your skateboarding game to the iconic streets of the Big Apple, where you can master hundreds of tricks in real-world locations. The game hit Apple Arcade on Friday, and is playable on iPhone, Mac and more.

Several other titles also joined Apple’s gaming service, including a remodeled version of the original Final Fantasy.

December 21, 1994: Mac gamers get their hands on Marathon, a sci-fi first-person shooter designed as an answer to the massive success of PC title Doom.

Created by Bungie, the team that would later make the Halo games, Marathon introduces important features to the FPS genre. Just as importantly, it isn’t available on PC. Marathon quickly becomes a favorite among Mac gamers.

Apple unveiled its annual roundups of top apps and games — that is, those most downloaded titles — across iPhone, iPad and Apple Arcade platforms Monday. The comprehensive year-end lists are featured on the App Store’s Today tab. They offer insights into user preferences across more than 30 countries and regions. And once again, free app and games dominate, overlapping with recent App Store Award winners.

Monument Valley 3 launched Tuesday, the latest edition in one of the best puzzle game franchises ever. The challenges offer the same M. C. Escher-esque defiance of visual perspective as their predecessors, but there’s a new twist: a sailboat.

ustwo’s latest creation is available for iPhone and iPad (plus) Android, but it’s a Netflix Games exclusive. A subscription to the streaming service is required to play.

The updated version of Capcom’s classic Resident Evil 2 horror game can now be played on recent iPhone, iPad and Mac computers. And the cost has been slashed by 75% for a short time.

It’s the latest in the long-running series to hit Apple devices.

Support for Sony PlayStation VR2 hand controllers is reportedly coming to Apple’s Vision Pro headset. The goal is supposedly to make playing virtual reality games easier on the AR headset.

Apple and Sony allegedly worked together for months to make this happen.

The newly launched GameSir X3 Pro Mobile Gaming Controller packs Hall Effect sticks, dual rumble motors, micro switch triggers and detachable grips. And its USB-C connector and telescoping design means it fits a range of iPhone and Android models.

A stand-out feature is a cooling plate designed to prevent the handset from overheating while playing very demanding games.

The updated version of Capcom’s classic Resident Evil 2 horror game launches on recent iPhone, iPad and Mac computers in under a month.

It’s the latest in the long-running series to hit Apple devices.

Looking forward to some holiday downtime, maybe hunched over your Apple device with a glass of eggnog by the fire? Apple is set to expand its gaming catalog of over 200 titles with 15 new Apple Arcade games this holiday season. They include highly anticipated releases and reimagined classics. That sounds like hours of holly jolly fun.

CD Projekt Red promised on Wednesday that Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition reaches Mac gamers in early 2025. The graphically intensive action role-playing game earned a lengthy list of awards since its original debut in 2020.

This is the latest AAA game headed for Mac, along with Assassin’s Creed Shadows.

NBA preseason games start this weekend. If you didn’t make the draft this year, you can still get in on the basketball action with NBA 2K25 Arcade Edition, which launched Thursday. This is the definitive basketball game for Apple devices, and each new annual upgrade adds even more features.

The feature-packed offering is now on Apple Arcade for iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV.

Football season starts Thursday, and basketball season is only a few weeks away. Get in the game now with NFL Retro Bowl ’25, and NBA 2K25 Arcade Edition launches in a few weeks.

Both are part of Apple Arcade, Apple’s gaming service.

GameBaby from Bitmo Lab is both an iPhone case and a game controller. The innovative design allows users to play retro games on their phone with real buttons.

The goal seems to be a GameBoy for 2024.

The Epic Games Store launched Friday, allowing iPhone users to install the popular Fortnite for the first time since Apple kicked Epic out of the official App Store in 2020.

But there’s an important caveat: the new iOS app marketplace is available only in the European Union.