Games Leaving Apple Arcade Soon Won't Be Playable

Approximately 15 games are going to be removed from Apple Arcade at some point in the near future, according to a new section on the Apple Arcade App Store.

MacRumors spoke to an inside source that was able to offer some insight into why the games are leaving and what happens to the games downloaded onto the devices of Apple Arcade customers.

Apple entered into three-year deals with a number of developers when Apple Arcade was first launched. Some of the contracts will not be renewed by Apple. A lot of the games that are being removed were added to the Apple Arcade.

Developers retain the rights to their games and can re-release them on the App Store and other platforms, but games that are removed from Apple Arcade will not be accessible under the Apple Arcade service.

On the same day that games are removed from Apple Arcade, they can be re-added to the App Store. Apple Arcade subscribers will not have access to the same game that was available through Apple Arcade.

It is not yet clear if saved progress will be able to transfer over from the Apple Arcade version of the game to the new version should the developers choose to reestablish their games to the App Store.

Spelldrifter is one of the games leaving Apple Arcade.