Apple Apple Arcade's first batch of games taken offline as contract with developer ends

We previously reported that Apple would be taking down some games from Apple Arcade, and at the time Apple didn't specify when those games would be gone, but about two weeks later, the games listed above have now been taken down from Apple Arcade.

On July 18 Apple added a section called "Leaving Arcade Soon" to the Arcade section of the App Store. Projection: First Light, Lifeslide, EarthNight, Cardpocalypse, Dead End Job, etc. These games are no longer searchable in the App Store.

According to a new announcement from Apple on July 25, users who downloaded the game before it was taken down from Apple Arcade will still be able to play it for "at least two weeks". That means they can play the game until August 16, and possibly beyond.

If users want to continue playing after that time, they will receive a "No Longer Available" message.

Apple says that after a game is removed from Apple Arcade, the developer may choose to make the game available to all users on the App Store. However, the App Store version of the game may not be the same as the Apple Arcade version. If the developer chooses to allow users to load their saved progress in the App Store version of the game, the user can continue playing the game from where it was in the Apple Arcade version. Otherwise, users will have to restart the game.

As for the reason for the game's downgrade, MacRumors reports that sources say that when Apple Arcade was first launched, Apple signed three-year agreements with a number of developers, some of which are apparently nearing expiration and are not being renewed.

Apple launched Apple Arcade, a new subscription game service, in September 2019, which allows users to play more than 200 games without ads or in-app top-ups for a monthly fee of $4.99 ($33.67).