Apple Arcade tipped to deliver a gold rush for Australian game developers with unusual ideas
Apple is looking for risky, unexpected titles for its new all you can play games service and experts say Australia’s indie game developers could be just the people to create them.
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Exclusive: Apple’s bold new all you can play games service is tipped to deliver a new gold rush for local developers, with several unusual Australian creations receiving support and worldwide publicity from the world’s richest company.
Apple Arcade product lead Ann Thai revealed that several of the service’s popular games were made in Australia, and the company was already in discussions to add more local titles.
And Melbourne-based Crossy Road co-creator Matt Hall, who launched a sequel to the internationally successful app on Arcade this week, said small, independent Australian development companies were particularly well placed to make it big.
Apple launched its subscription game service Arcade alongside the iPhone 11 last month, and this week executives visited Melbourne International Games Week to support local developers.
Ms Thai said unlike its rivals, Apple Arcade offered a catalogue of new, unreleased, and exclusive titles, and the company was keen to talk to game creators with unusual and even risky ideas — something Australian developers were known for creating.
“There is a really robust developer community in Australia and, particularly with indie developers, they’re a great fit for this service,” she said.
“There are probably some great indie developers right here in Australia that we haven’t even come into contact yet with but we could through this service.”
Seven Australian games have been unveiled as part of the service so far, ranging from the unexpected puzzle game Word Laces to Necrobarista that gives the dead one last day to hang out in a Melbourne cafe.
Ms Thai said she hoped the unorthodox mix would help players “get out of their comfort zone” and try something new.
“We really encourage developers to take risks, bring us ideas that people haven’t seen before, sometimes ideas that are not proven,” she said.
“There are a number of games we’re including that are not part of a defined genre and it’s hard to put them in a box.”
Mr Hall, who co-founded Hipster Whale, said the company was excited to announce the launch of Crossy Road Castle in Apple Arcade this week; a sequel to the popular chicken-crosses-the-road title that will offer players the chance to play alongside their friends for the first time.
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He said Arcade had huge potential for Australian game developers, including small development teams who didn’t want to use creative time developing ways to monetise their apps.
“Australia has a lot of indie developers, way more than other countries,” he said.
“And Australia, in particular, has a very strong art bent. This actually fits (Arcade) perfectly because they can just make a great game, people will play it, and it can find an audience.”
Australian game developers generated more than $118 million in 2017, according to the Interactive Games Entertainment Association, while Australia’s app economy currently supports 136,000 jobs, up 20 per cent on 2017, the Progressive Policy Institute found.
AUSSIE GAMES IN APPLE ARCADE
Crossy Road Castle (Melbourne — next year)
Down in Bermuda (Melbourne)
Word Laces (NSW North Coast)
Projection: First Light (Sydney)
Fledgling Heroes (Brisbane)
Necrobarista (Melbourne — coming soon)
UFO on Tape 2 (Melbourne — coming soon)