Apple explains what happens when games leave Apple Arcade

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Don't miss out on 15 games leaving Apple Arcade soon.
Hurry up and finish that Apple Arcade game exiting the program.
Photo: Apple

A new support document from Apple explains what happens when games exit Apple Arcade — and how long you can play them after they disappear from the subscription service.

The support page went live after Apple added a “Leaving Arcade Soon” section to the App Store highlighting 15 games due to exit the program.

Apple Arcade games are playable for two weeks after leaving the service

In a support document titled “Apple Arcade game releases and updates,” the company says sometimes games might leave the service. You can continue playing a removed-but-downloaded game for two weeks. After that, a “No Longer Available” message will pop up when you try to launch it.

So, if you are enjoying an Apple Arcade game that’s due to leave soon, better try to finish it within a couple of weeks after it exits the program.

Sometimes, developers might make their games available on the App Store after they leave Apple Arcade. However, their builds can differ slightly. In such cases, it will be up to developers to allow you to load your saved game progress. If not, you will have to start your progress in the game from scratch. Otherwise, you can start playing the game from the same point where you left it in the Arcade version.

A previous report explained that Apple signed three-year agreements with game developers when Apple Arcade launched. That time is now coming to an end. The company will not renew all the contracts, leading to some games exiting the service.

Apple Arcade boasts more than 200 free games

Apple typically adds new games to Apple Arcade every Friday. It removed some games from the service in the past, but now it is being more explicit about them with a dedicated App Store section.

‌Apple Arcade‌‌‌ costs $4.99 per month. It includes more than 200 new and original free-to-play titles. With Family Sharing, you can even share your Apple Arcade subscription with up to six family members.

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