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Here, we asked a veteran game developer who was at WWDC watching the keynote about how it was received among their peers – and if Apple is doing enough to keep developers happy…
How was the keynote for you, overall?
Not really much to report unfortunately, there really wasn’t any notable gaming announcements or updates from my perspective.
The new Gaming app seems pedestrian and just table stakes rather than innovative or unlock new opportunities for game developers. Game Center has been around for years so making it available on an additional surface still begs the question of why it is worth supporting.
The crowd response for the gaming section was minimal, especially when compared to some of the native developer quality of life updates.
Aside from that, there were lots of great design, iOS, Xcode, and Foundation Models updates for native developers that I am super excited about.
What’s feeling overall among game developers at WWDC, and how did they react to the keynote?
As per usual, the vibe was incredible, and the support on the development and tools front remains strong. That said, I did expect a major announcement around the App Store in relation to games.
The feeling amongst game developers is Epic has a very strong value proposition and their indie strategy is sound. If they can make progress on execution then Apple will be forced to adapt to this new competitive landscape. It takes time to build trust globally with users and developers, so I don’t think it is yet a sure thing.
Do you feel like Apple is listening to your needs as a development partner?
Absolutely! Developer Relations at Apple are very easy to gain access to and are always open to candid feedback.
Do you think Apple really understands games?
I don’t think they need to and I think that is their belief as well. They have always taken the stance that the developer community is what creates the real magic of the App Store, and this remains a strong theme of WWDC.
What is Apple doing well in terms of being a development partner?
As a developer, I do not need to think about any of the complexities of selling and distributing a software product globally. At a time when global trade and policies are in flux, I am glad to have this seamlessly handled by a company I trust.
Where does it need to improve? What would you like to see change about the App Store, for example?
In recent years, the mobile game market has been dominated by very large players with gigantic marketing budgets and to a large extent this has meant that indie experimentation has occurred on other platforms.
I still firmly believe in the huge potential of mobile gaming and this can be seen with the breakout success of the Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch. If Apple wants indie innovation to happen on their platforms first, rather than just receiving ports of already successful games, then they will need to explore ways they can improve discovery and early support of indie games. I was hoping the Games app could be a gateway for this, but that remains to be seen.
How does developing for Apple platforms compare to others?
Having developed software for over 25 years across many platforms and languages, Apple platforms remain my most loved developer experience. Innovation within their developer tools is relentless and the advancements shown today were no exception.
Do you feel the criticism Apple has had recently is justified or overblown?
With respect to the antitrust case, I am not comfortable answering this. I do believe the press tends to overhype every story involving big tech, but I reserve judgement without knowing the full context. I trust in the courts to make the best decision based on the information available and the current legislation.
With respect to lagging behind in AI, completely justified. We saw very promising stuff today and I am excited to play around with it to see how effective it is in practice.
