It’s becoming clear that Apple’s services strategy is to start slow and build up from there. We saw this with Apple TV+, which debuted with only a couple of big shows but has since become home to some serious hits, and now we’re starting to see Apple Arcade come into its own as well.
From its inception, Apple Arcade has promised to offer a smorgasbord of great games for a low subscription fee of $4.99/month, but when it initially launched, many questioned how many “great” games were truly there.
After all, the service got off to a slow start, with only 62 of the promised 100 game titles available at launch nearly two years ago. However, it quickly added new titles on a near-weekly basis, hitting the 100-game milestone within two months.
The real strength behind Apple Arcade, however, is in Apple’s ability to pour massive amounts of money into games, wooing developers to release compelling titles that will be available exclusively on Arcade.
It was enough to entice legendary Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi to create the incredible Fantasian, and now Apple has drawn another big game franchise into the fold.
According to the official Star Wars blog, Apple Arcade is about to get its first Star Wars title in the form of LEGO Star Wars Battles.
What Is It?
Developed by TT Games Brighton, and published by Warner Bros. Games in collaboration with Lucasfilm Games and The LEGO Group, LEGO Star Wars Battles is a new action-strategy game that will let players match up LEGO Star Wars characters in real-time PvP multiplayer battles.
Gamers will be able to collect and upgrade LEGO Star Wars characters, troops, and vehicles from various chapters of the saga to build their ideal army, along with LEGO towers to help strategically defend and capture territory.
What happens when an Ewok takes on a Tusken Raider? Can a flock of porgs tackle a stormtrooper in a standoff? Could Chewbacca go toe-to-toe with Boba Fett? Who would win in a showdown between Yoda and Darth Vader?
LEGO Star Wars on Apple Arcade
This includes iconic Star Wars characters such as Luke Skywalker, Yoda, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Boba Fett, and of course Darth Vader. There are also over 40 units from all eras of the Star Wars universe, from AT-ATs to TIE fighters, and multiple locations to battle in, from Naboo to Hoth.
While this isn’t the first LEGO title to come to Apple Arcade — LEGO Brawls was on board when the service first launched — it’s the first Star Wars property on the service, and it’s also the first time TT Games Studios has published a title on the App Store at all, even outside of Apple Arcade.
When Can I Play LEGO Star Wars Battles?
LEGO Star Wars Battles was originally soft-launched as a beta in select countries back in 2019, but closed down early last month, leading many to believe the game had been cancelled entirely. TT Games first announced the shutdown in May, advising players to use up any remaining in-game currency while they still could.
It’s unclear whether the shutdown was a result of a deal with Apple or if that came later, but the re-release of the game as an Arcade exclusive has taken fans by surprise. Most significantly, as per Apple’s normal policy, there will be no purchased in-game currency when LEGO Star Wars Battles makes its return on Apple Arcade, nor will there be any ads.
So far, none of the developers or publishers have shared any specifics on when LEGO Star Wars Battles will be available on Apple Arcade, saying only that it’s “coming soon.” Based on past pre-announcements, however, it will likely arrive sometime next month, and the Arcade page for it is available now, so subscribers can go ahead and tap the “Get” to have it automatically download once it launches. Like most Arcade titles, it will be playable on the iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, and Apple TV.