Contrary to expectations, high-quality (AAA) games for iPhones and iPads aren’t attracting many players.
This is according to data from Appfigures. The company analyzed downloads of titles like Resident Evil Village and Assassin’s Creed Mirage, which were used to showcase the power of the latest iPhone 15 Pro.
However, the results are underwhelming. Assassin’s Creed Mirage, for example, has over 123,000 downloads since its June release, but only about 3,000 users paid the $49 price tag for the full game. Daily downloads are also low, averaging under 3,000.
Similarly, Resident Evil 4, released for iPhones in December, hasn’t found a large audience. While over 357,000 people downloaded the game, only 7,000 paid the $29 price tag for the full experience. Resident Evil Village sees a similar trend with just 5,750 paying users.
These numbers pale in comparison to popular free-to-play games on iOS. Analysts suggest that mobile gamers prefer simpler and more casual experiences. Mobile gamers are drawn to titles with unique art styles and simpler gameplay that works well with touch controls, rather than focusing on high-end graphics.
These complex, “Triple-A” games are typically designed for physical controllers and larger screens – features even the biggest iPhone, the 15 Pro Max, can’t quite match. In short, mobile gamers seem to be prioritizing fun and accessibility over high-powered graphics experiences.
Even beyond the game style mismatch, limitations are making these AAA titles less accessible. For one, only the most expensive iPhone models, the 15 Pro and Pro Max, can run these games. Similarly, only iPads with the latest M1 chips or better can handle them. This cuts out a huge portion of iPhone and iPad users who can’t play these titles at all.
Some speculate that Apple might have paid game studios to create these mobile AAA versions to showcase the impressive hardware of their newest iPhones. After all, even if not many people buy the games, the titles still advertise the phone’s power.
📢 For the latest Tech & Telecom news, videos and analysis join ProPakistani's WhatsApp Group now!
Follow ProPakistani on Google News & scroll through your favourite content faster!
Support independent journalism
If you want to join us in our mission to share independent, global journalism to the world, we’d love to have you on our side. If you can, please support us on a monthly basis. It takes less than a minute to set up, and you can rest assured that you’re making a big impact every single month in support of open, independent journalism. Thank you.
