Apple has worked long and hard to become one of the most recognizable names in the tech industry. It's gotten extremely famous for the production of the iPhone, the Mac, and so on, but it's a big part of the video game industry too. Thanks to its popular phones, Apple is a big hitter in mobile gaming via Apple Arcade. One would expect, then, that it has a strong reputation in the game industry. Unfortunately for Apple, that isn't the case. The truth is that most fans of video games look on Apple negatively and don't particularly want to engage with it.
There's two major reasons that Apple falters when it comes to gaming. For one, it's not known for producing computers that are good for gaming. The vast majority of games on computers are PC exclusive and not suitable for Macs. PC gamers don't really care about Apple because it doesn't make products that do them much good. The other part of Apple's problem with the game industry is its reputation for controversy. Fortnite fans are well aware of Apple's heated debate with Epic Games over Fortnite's microtransactions and how much it paid to Apple. This fight with Epic Games is representative of Apple's greater habit of getting in the way of members of the game industry.
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Apple and Epic Games' debacle over Fortnite is probably the most famous example of Apple's troubled interactions with video games. The Fortnite struggle took the summer of 2020 by storm, and it's still ongoing -- Apple and Epic are going to court in May. However, the argument over Fortnite's revenue is just one example. Apple has a history of blocking and otherwise causing problems for cloud gaming providers like Project xCloud and Google Stadia. The iOS version of Facebook Gaming also faced major setbacks last year due to apparent difficulties in working with Apple.
It's sort of unclear why Apple has developed this habit of video game controversies. Whatever the cause may be, the most important thing is the way that it affects Apple's image. If Apple ever decides to turn around and invest heavily in video games, it'll have a hard time getting deeper in the industry because of its reputation. Right now is a strong time for Apple to look more deeply into video games. It's one of the world's leading tech developers, and Microsoft and Sony have just proven what can be done when tech developers put their minds to video game consoles. Apple has the finances and experience to make an impact on console gaming. First, though, it has to start by repairing its image among game companies.
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Being more cooperative with other companies isn't all that would make Apple a more attractive collaborator. It could also spend some time thinking about how it could make the app an appealing platform for video games. Most of Apple's computers just aren't designed to process cutting-edge games, and so most developers don't bother making versions of their games for Mac. Apple could try making a new line of computers that preserve the Mac aesthetic while offering the processing power needed for modern games. Even if many PC fans like their self-built rigs, Macs capable of running demanding games would at least encourage video game developers to consider Apple a more important part of the industry.
Apple is perceived in a very odd way right now. On the one hand, it doesn't have much access to influential video games, but on the other hand, it also has a history of waylaying some major game industry figures. If it wants to change its status, it'll have to address both of those issues. While that might be difficult, Apple fixing its troubled reputation is long overdue. Many parts of the game community have lost some faith in Apple for the way it's treated Fortnite and other properties. Redemption isn't impossible for Apple, though, and if it makes a concerted effort to change its image, it could open a lot of doors for the tech giant.