Apple's New Gaming App: A Resurrected Game Center, But Much More

Apple is launching a dedicated gaming app, "Games," pre-installed on Macs, iPhones, and iPads this fall with macOS Tahoe 26 and iOS 26. This revamped Game Center will act as a modern gaming hub, similar to Xbox or GOG Galaxy, featuring leaderboards, matchmaking, recommendations, news, and direct access to Apple Arcade. Users can see what friends are playing, challenge them, and access their entire App Store game library. The Mac version includes an overlay for quick access to communication tools, audio, Bluetooth, and battery life. This release underscores Apple's growing push into gaming, following recent additions of AAA titles to Mac and mobile and the acquisition of the small game studio RAC7. While the Epic Games legal battle continues, Fortnite's return to the App Store with third-party payment support marks a significant development.