Indie devs have good reason not to trust Apple — does Arcade change that?

Indie game developers are hungry. Long denied a fair seat at the table by tech giants that own the few mass distribution channels, many indies are looking for better ways to break into the market. The upcoming launch of Apple Arcade is bringing new light to this issue, prompting developers to reexamine their position in both the subscription marketplace and the broader Apple and Google ecosystems.

It’s no secret that game developers have long been wary of riding the Apple bandwagon. While the App Store’s closed system model is hugely beneficial for Apple, ensuring the company gets a cut of any app sold within its ecosystem and providing continuity for users, it doesn’t work well for developers. And it’s particularly problematic for the video game community — revenue potential is limited, consumers struggle to find out-of-the-box games, many indie titles are buried in a sea of choices and practical alternative distribution options are minimal or non-existent.