Apple has just made a surprising move. The company has acquired RAC7, the small two-person game studio behind the popular Apple Arcade game Sneaky Sasquatch. This is the first time Apple has ever bought a game studio. That alone makes it a big deal.
Sneaky Sasquatch launched in 2019 and quickly became one of the most loved games on Apple Arcade. It even won Apple Arcade Game of the Year in 2020. Apple says it made this move to help RAC7 grow the game further. But this could also be a hint at something bigger.
While Apple says this is a “unique situation,” it is hard not to see it as Apple taking gaming more seriously. For years, people have said Apple should do more in the gaming world. With the success of mobile games and the steady growth of Apple Arcade, this step could be the beginning of something new.
Apple Arcade already offers hundreds of games from many developers, but owning a studio gives Apple more control over content. It lets them create games exactly how they want, without relying only on outside studios. This is something companies like Netflix and Microsoft are already doing. Netflix owns studios like Night School Studio and Spry Fox. Microsoft has gone even bigger, buying giants like Activision Blizzard and Bethesda.
So, Apple’s move may look small now, but it could grow over time.
Mobile gaming is huge right now. In fact, mobile games made about $90 billion in 2023. That’s around half of the global gaming revenue. Apple already has the platform and the devices. With its hardware, software, and services like Arcade, Apple is in a strong position to grab a bigger share of this market.
And this acquisition shows Apple is not just watching from the sidelines anymore.
RAC7 will now work as part of Apple. The team will continue to update Sneaky Sasquatch and possibly build more games. Apple also said they will keep working with third-party developers, but now they also have an in-house team to shape their gaming future.
In the long run, this might be Apple’s first step toward creating more exclusive, high-quality content for Apple Arcade, and maybe even beyond. If Apple continues down this path, we might one day see Apple competing more directly with gaming giants.
Also read: Apple is finally pushing hard to bring back gamers on Mac
