Apple has bought a game studio for the first time
Tech giant buys maker of Sneaky Sasquatch game.
- Apple is buying a game developer. The company has purchased RAC7, makers of Sneaky Sasquatch. This is the first time in Apple’s history it has purchased a game maker.
Apple is wading even deeper into the deep end of gaming.
The tech giant, for the first time in its history, has bought a game developer, acquiring RAC7, a two-person team behind the Apple Arcade hit Sneaky Sasquatch.
“We love Sneaky Sasquatch and are excited that the 2-person RAC7 team has joined Apple to continue their work on it with us,” Apple said in a statement to Fortune. “We will continue to deliver a great experience for Apple Arcade players with hundreds of games from many of the best game developers in the world.”
Apple, for years, kept a distance between itself and games, even as electronic entertainment proved to be one of the most popular categories in the app store. In 2019, it launched Apple Arcade, a library of over 200 ad-free games, which currently costs $6.99 per month. Still, though, it steered clear of making the games itself.
Among the launch titles was Sneaky Sasquatch, and the game’s popularity has never wavered. Players play as Bigfoot, tiptoeing around the forest in stealth mode, eventually learning to drive cars, disguise themselves and ski, while avoiding capture.
Apple’s purchase follows similar moves by Netflix, which has been expanding its presence in the gaming world and purchasing game studios. The reason for the land grab is exactly what you would expect. There’s big money in mobile games. A 2024 report from NewZoo found mobile gaming revenue accounted for about half of all gaming revenue in 2023, totaling nearly $90 billion.
Games also keep people’s attention focused on their screens and can build brand loyalty (just as Sony, Nintendo or Microsoft can attest). By increasing its focus on gaming, Apple could further lock customers into its ecosystem, ensuring they upgrade their device rather than switching to a Samsung or other Android phone.
This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
