EA Sports has released Madden NFL 27 Arcade Edition, a version of the popular football simulation franchise that Apple Arcade subscribers can play on the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV. It’s a big release built specifically to take advantage of Apple hardware, allowing players to play the game on a wide variety of hardware.
I was struck by how easy it is to pick up and play the game whether you’re a diehard NFL fan or not. I don’t follow football closely, but I was able to get the hang of the game and have fun right away, knocking out a Quick Play match when I had a few minutes to spare.
Quick Play tightly limits the overall time it takes to complete a matchup, but it doesn’t sacrifice depth in the process. There are long lists of plays you can run, including suggested plays, play types, formations, and recents, as well as a wide variety of statistics. And after a big play, you can replay it with total control over the camera angle, too.
However, if you want to go really deep, the game’s Franchise Mode lets you play a full NFL season, managing your team all the way through the playoffs. You can also draft your dream team from the game’s huge catalog of real-world NFL stars. Plus, during the real-world NFL season, player attributes shift based on their actual performance.
Madden NFL 27 also looks terrific. The 120Hz playback is smooth on the iPhone, where I spent most of my time with the game, and even nicer on a bigger screen like my 14” M4 Max MacBook Pro, making for an immersive experience.
What impresses me most about Madden NFL 27, though, is how well it makes use of the Apple hardware and technologies at its disposal. Too often, those sorts of details get left behind when a big release is published on Apple platforms.
To its credit, EA has done an excellent job adapting Madden NFL 27 for Apple Arcade subscribers. You can play across every device mentioned above, leaving off on one device and picking up on another seamlessly because saves sync across devices. Every device supports game controllers and touch where applicable, and those devices with 120Hz displays support that, too.
It’s a big sports month for Apple TV, starting with Apple Arcade, which goes all-in on football with Madden NFL 27 Arcade Edition and Retro Bowl College+. On the Apple TV side, Ted Lasso returns for a fourth season, Formula 1 is coming out of its summer break, the MLS Leagues Cup begins, and MLB continues.
Let’s take a closer look.
Apple Arcade
Apple Arcade is adding two new games this month, both on Thursday, August 6, and both of them football games. That’s not a coincidence. The NFL and college football seasons are right around the corner, and these games offer great ways to get ready for both. They’re also part of a broader trend across Apple Arcade where sports games like NBA 2K26 and PGA TOUR Pro Golf, which also have continued receiving updates, have found a fan base.
The headliner this month is Madden NFL 27 Arcade Edition, an all-new entry in EA’s long-running NFL franchise built specifically for Apple Arcade. The game includes Franchise and Quick Play modes, featuring current NFL player rosters and ratings that adapt to real-world performance. And as part of Arcade, the game cane be played across iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and Apple Vision Pro with controller support and no ads, paywalls, or in-app purchases.
I’m a huge fan of retro-style games of any kind, and Retro Bowl College+ looks like another winner. I love the game’s chunky pixel vibe and depth. You can choose to act as the head coach of any of 250 college teams, recruiting players, managing your school’s athletic budget, dealing with player drama, and more. Who knew an 8-bit game could be packed with this much style and story?
It’s been three years since the Ted Lasso series finale, and it still holds a special spot in the hearts of many fans. This week, the show returns on Wednesdays with a 10-episode run, in which Ted comes back to Ricmond to coach a second-division women’s team. Other returning cast members include Hannah Waddingham, Juno Temple, Brett Goldstein, Brendan Hunt, and Jeremy Swift.
It’s July, and Apple TV and Apple Arcade have an interesting lineup, including four games that debuted last week, the return of Silo, one of my favorite Apple TV series, Lucky, a limited series starring Anya Taylor-Joy, and The Dink, a pickleball movie that looks like a lot of fun.
The game I’m most curious about this month is Stray Fawn Studio’s Dungeon Clawler+, which Apple says “combines the strategic depth of a roguelike deckbuilder with the unpredictability of an arcade claw machine.” The hook is that instead of drawing cards, you use a claw to grab weapons, shields, and other items that affect your next move.
Creatures of the Deep+ is a single-player fishing adventure that pairs fishing with exploration and mystery. Your job is to embark on the open seas, catch fish, and learn the secrets that lie beneath the waves.
If you’ve ever played a classic Sim City game, you’ll have a feel for Pocket City 2+. You play as the city’s mayor and are charged with building and maintaining your city, which you can explore on foot as you build.
Draw It+ challenges players to draw things based on prompts under time pressure. It’s a single-player family-friendly game that can be passed around at a party or played solo, while honing your doodling skills.
I only just started Silo, season 2, prompted in part by the release of season 3 last Friday. It’s a fantastic dystopian mystery starring and executive produced by Rebecca Ferguson and created by Graham Yost. If you like a good post-apocalyptic brain teaser, be sure to check the new season.
This week the acclaimed British comedy Trying returns for a fifth season. Starring and executive produced by Esther Smith and Rafe Spall, the series is a lighthearted look at the ups and downs of family life.
Lucky is a limited series starring Anya Taylor-Joy based on the bestselling novel of the same name by Marissa Stapley. Taylor-Joy plays a young woman whose former life of crime comes back to haunt her, just as she thinks she’s escaped her past.
The Dink is a comedy about a former tennis star played by Jake Johnson who has been reduced to coaching kids at a suburban country club. Johnson, who stars with an ensemble cast that includes Ed Harris, Ben Stiller, and Mary Steenburgen, discovers that he loves pickleball, which just may save the ailing country club.
That’s it for July. I’m personally looking forward to moving on to season three of Silo once I finish season two and watching Lucky.
If you’re a Club MacStories Plus or Premier member, drop by the TV and Movies channel in Discord to chat about what you’re looking forward to from Apple TV this month, and be sure to listen to MacStories Unwind where we will undoubtedly cover these shows in the coming weeks.
It’s a new month, Apple has a slate of new and returning TV shows, new Arcade games are on the way, and Formula 1 is heading to Europe, which means it’s time for a roundup of everything coming to Apple TV and Apple Arcade in June 2026.
Coffee Inc 2+ is a business simulation game where you build and manage your own coffee shop. You set the pricing, order supplies, handle marketing and advertising, and more with the goal of growing from one shop to a chain of stores.
Mini Football Legends is an arcade-style soccer game where your job is to build, train, and manage your team. The game is a great fit with the FIFA World Cup coming to the U.S. this month.
Rounding out the month are two more App Store favorites adapted for Arcade. My Talking Tom 2+ is the virtual pet sequel starring Tom, a cartoon cat, that features mini-games and a care-and-feeding loop that has made the series a hit. FreeCell Solitaire: Card Game+ is coming to Arcade, too, featuring the classic single-player card game.
The show I’m looking forward to most this month is Cape Fear, a ten-episode psychological horror thriller inspired by the 1991 Martin Scorsese movie. The series tells the story of Max Cady, a convicted murderer recently released from prison, who begins infiltrating the lives of the attorneys who put him there. The series is showrun and executive produced by Nick Antosca, with Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg among its executive producers.
Colin Farrell returns as Los Angeles private detective John Sugar for a second season. The new season sees Sugar taking on a new case of an up-and-coming local boxer searching for his older brother, while also continuing the search for his own missing sister.
Snoopy and pals return for a second season in Camp Snoopy. The new season follows the group as they set out to earn their badges while running into Charlie Brown and friends, who are spending the summer at Camp Spring Lake.
June is a busy month for sports on Apple TV. Formula 1 begins its European stretch with three Grand Prix weekends, and Friday Night Baseball continues every Friday.
Round 6 of the 2026 Formula 1 season takes place on the Circuit de Monaco. The full race weekend, including practice, qualifying, and the Grand Prix, streams on Apple TV.
Friday Night Baseball continues its fifth season on Apple TV with a doubleheader every Friday in June:
June 5
Cleveland Guardians at Texas Rangers (8:15 PM Eastern)
Kansas City Royals at Minnesota Twins (8:15 PM Eastern)
June 12
Arizona Diamondbacks at Cincinnati Reds (7:15 PM Eastern)
Atlanta Braves at New York Mets (7:15 PM Eastern)
June 19
St. Louis Cardinals at Kansas City Royals (8:15 PM Eastern)
Minnesota Twins at Arizona Diamondbacks (9:45 PM Eastern)
June 26
Chicago Cubs at Milwaukee Brewers (7:45 PM Eastern)
Los Angeles Dodgers at San Diego Padres (9:45 PM Eastern)
That’s it for June. If you’re a Club MacStories Plus or Premier member, drop by the TV and Movies channel in Discord to chat about what you’re looking forward to from Apple TV this month, and be sure to listen to MacStories Unwind, where Federico and I cover some of these shows, along with our other media recommendations, every week.
It’s a new month and it’s F1 season, which means it’s time for a roundup of everything coming to Apple TV and Apple Arcade in May 2026.
This month we’re adding F1 and other sports airing on Apple TV this month, starting with tomorrow’s Miami Grand Prix, and continuing below with the Canadian Grand Prix and Friday Night Baseball at the end of the month.
Sunday will see the very first U.S.-based race of the 2026 Formula 1 season in Miami, Florida. In addition to Sunday’s race, Apple TV subscribers can watch qualifying round coverage beginning today at 3:25 PM Eastern U.S. time, with qualifying beginning at 4 PM and the race itself beginning at 4 PM Eastern Sunday.
Apple has also created a 3D view of the race track in Apple Maps, a Maps Guide of local hot spots for race attendees, an Apple Music playlist that Apple says captures the energy and excitement of F1, and many other race weekend tie-ins you can check out in this Apple press release.
The game I’m most excited about this month is Perchang World, an update to a classic indie game first released about a decade ago. The version debuting on Apple Arcade for iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV is an evolution of the original physics puzzler that requires you to use a variety of switches and platforms to guide balls through the game’s brightly-colored, playful environments. The game is narrated by British comedian James Acaster, who judging from the game’s trailer, adds a great sense of humor and fun.
If you’re a fan of pool, Ultimate 8 Ball Pool+, an Arcade adaptation of the HypGames’ App Store version will be available for Arcade subscribers on May 7 too. The game features photorealistic graphics and 3D perspectives as well as one-on-one multiplayer, tournaments, trickshot challenges, and more.
Next Thursday, Apple Arcade will also release Nick Jr. Replay!, a family-friendly game starring characters from Nick Jr. shows like Dora the Explorer and Blue’s Clues & You! and over 50 minigames designed to help kids with math, reading, art, and other learning skills. Finally, Good Pizza, Great Pizza+ is an adaptation of an App Store game, but without In-App Purchases. The game is a cooking simulator where your goal is to take orders, bake pizzas and get them to customers.
Unconditional promises to start May off with a bang. The brand new thriller follows Orna, whose daughter Gali is arrested for drug smuggling in Russia. The eight-episode show follows Orna as she fights for her daughter’s freedom, which pulls her into the dangerous criminal underground of Moscow.
Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed is a dark comedy/thriller starring Tatiana Maslany as a newly divorced mom who believes she witnesses a murder. Deciding to investigate what happened, Maslany’s character, Paula, is drawn into what appears to be a dangerous larger conspiracy, while also dealing with a battle over custody of her child.
Star City is Apple’s For All Mankind spinoff. Based on the same alternative history events where the Russians land on the moon before America, the show follows the story from the perspective of the Russians. The eight-episode show follows Russia’s cosmonauts, scientists, engineers, and government officials as they race to the moon.
Propeller One-Way Night Coach is an Apple Original movie based on a 1997 children’s book of the same name. The film, which is John Travolta’s first directorial credit, follows Jeff, who loves airplanes, and his mother as they travel to Hollywood. Their one-way journey transforms everyday travel into an adventure filled with an unusual cast of characters.
Round 5 of the 2026 Formula 1 season will take place against the skyline of Montreal, Canada from May 22-24. The semi-permanent 4.36 km track is on Île Notre-Dame, a man-made island in the St. Lawrence River. F1 racing on Circuit Gilles Villeneuve began in the late 70s and has a reputation of unpredictable weather that can cause chaos on the track.
It’s hard to believe that Apple is in the midst of its fifth Friday Night Baseball season. In May, viewers will be treated with the following two game lineup every Friday:
May 8
Minnesota Twins at Cleveland Guardians (7:00 PM Eastern)
St. Louis Cardinals at San Diego Padres (9:30 PM Eastern)
May 15
Toronto Blue Jays at Detroit Tigers (6:30 PM Eastern)
New York Yankees at New York Mets (7:00 PM Eastern)
May 22
Houston Astros at Chicago Cubs (2:00 PM Eastern)
Detroit Tigers at Baltimore Orioles (7:00 PM Eastern)
May 29
Minnesota Twins at Pittsburgh Pirates (6:30 PM Eastern)
Philadelphia Phillies at Los Angeles Dodgers (10:00 PM Eastern)
That’s it for May. I’m personally looking forward to Perchang World and Star City the most. If you’re a Club MacStories Plus or Premier member, drop by the TV and Movies channel in Discord to chat about what you’re looking forward to from Apple TV this month, and be sure to listen to MacStories Unwind, where I’m sure Federico and I will cover some of these shows and games, along with our other media recommendations every week.
It’s once again time to get ready for a new month of movies, shows, and games on Apple TV and Apple Arcade. Here are the highlights of what’s in store for March 2026.
Originally slated to launch in December, The Hunt is a French-language thriller starring Benoît Magimel that debuts today. Also starring Mélanie Laurent, the series follows Franck (played by Magimel) and his weekend hunting buddies, who come across a group of hunters that target them. When one of the group is attacked, Franck and his friends flee and keep the events a secret. Soon, though, they start to wonder whether they are still being hunted.
The big Arcade release this month is Oceanhorn 3: Legend of the Shadow Sea, an action-adventure RPG from Cornfox & Brothers, a Finnish developer. This is the third installment in a series that has been an App Store standby for more than a decade, featuring a mix of big battles, island exploration, and puzzle-solving. It’s a visually stunning epic adventure that’s playable across iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and Apple Vision Pro.
More Arcade Additions
Three other games that have been adapted from popular App Store titles will make their debut on Apple Arcade alongside Oceanhorn 3, too:
Pocket Love!+: A family-friendly life sim where you move into a new home with your partner and pet.
Flow Free+: The pipe-connecting, color-matching puzzle game.
Apple’s Formula 1 coverage kicks off this weekend with the Australian Grand Prix. Apple is the exclusive U.S. broadcast partner for Formula 1, bringing all F1 races to Apple TV. This weekend’s coverage includes the race, qualifying, sprint sessions, and bonus coverage. Also available to Apple TV subscribers through a partnership with Netflix is docu-series Drive to Survive.
Twisted Yoga is a documentary about a tantric yoga school whose members were looking for community and wellness, but wound up wondering if they’d joined a cult.
Based on the novel Imperfect Women by Araminta Hall, Apple TV’s adaptation starring Elisabeth Moss and Kerry Washington studies the effect of a crime on three women over their decades-long friendship. It’s a thriller, taking viewers on an emotional roller coaster that considers how the choices we make impact our lives.
Apple has been making some great shows for kids, and Wonder Pets is no exception. The show follows Izzy the Guinea Pig, Tate the Snake, and Zuri the Bunny as they travel the globe in their Jetcar, rescuing animals in operatic musical fashion. It’s a fun premise that is worth checking out with your kids later this month.
One of Apple TV’s longest-running series, alternate history space drama For All Mankind, is back for season five. In the wake of the Goldilocks asteroid heist, Happy Valley has become a bustling colony with thousands of citizens. However, tensions between the inhabitants of Mars and Earth continue to build.
That’s a wrap for March. I’m personally looking forward to The Hunt and Imperfect Women. If you’re a Club MacStories Plus or Premier member, drop by the TV and Movies channel in Discord to chat about what you’re looking forward to from Apple TV this month, and be sure to listen to MacStories Unwind, where I’m sure Federico and I will cover some of these shows along with our other media recommendations every week.
Apple has some great entertainment lined up for February on Apple TV and Apple Arcade subscribers. There’s a highly anticipated monster-sized series return, one of the most beloved PC gaming franchises of all time making its way to Apple’s gaming service, and more. Here’s everything coming your way this month.
Apple Arcade Games (February 5)
On Thursday, February 5th, Apple Arcade is getting a major addition with the arrival of the legendary strategy franchise Civilization, along with three other new games:
Sid Meier’s legendary strategy series makes the jump to Apple Arcade, letting you build empires on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Play as historic figures like Cleopatra or Genghis Khan as your civilization evolves across eras, where you need to balance diplomacy, warfare, and wonder-building.
This is another title that I can’t wait to try. I love idea of playing classic video arcade games, especially using the Vision Pro. Resolution Games has built a virtual arcade, complete with classic cabinets, running Asteroids, Bubble Bobble, Centipede, Galaga, and more. It’s a nostalgia trip that recreates the look and feel of an ’80s arcade for the Vision Pro, iPhone, and iPad.
Felicity’s Door: Area 35’s rhythm game follows twins Tom and Felicity, plus their bear companion Mi-chan, through dreamlike landscapes, all set to music.
I Love Hue Too+: This zen puzzle game from Zut Games, already popular on the App Store, asks you to sort jumbled color gradients back into smooth spectrums. It’s simple in concept but surprisingly meditative and challenging, with hundreds of levels to solve.
Visit Apple Arcade to add them to your queue for Thursday’s release.
Elizabeth Olsen plays the lead in this romantic fantasy set in an afterlife waiting room of sorts, where the departed have seven days to choose their eternal companion. Olsen’s character Joan must decide between her late husband (Miles Teller) and her college sweetheart (Callum Turner), who died years earlier. John Early and Da’Vine Joy Randolph round out the cast in David Freyne’s story of love and regret just in time for Valentine’s Day.
Jennifer Garner and Angourie Rice return as Hannah and Bailey for season two of this thriller. Five years have passed since Hannah’s husband Owen vanished, and just when they’ve started to settle back into a normal life, he returns, and they try to rebuild their lives in the shadow of Owen’s past.
The Monsterverse returns to Apple TV with Kong and Godzilla facing off against Titan X. This 10-episode season brings back fan-favorite characters for a globe-trotting adventure that moves from Skull Island to a remote coastal town hiding a mysterious ancient secret.
That’s everything coming in February. For more media picks from Apple TV, Arcade, and everywhere else be sure to listen to MacStories Unwind, give it a try. I’m sure you’ll hear more about many of these shows and games from me and Federico in the coming weeks as they become available.
To ring in the new year, Apple has a great lineup of returning Apple TV shows and brand-new Apple Arcade games on the way, with everything kicking off later this week. Here are the highlights.
On January 8th, Apple will release four new games:
True Skate+: a skateboarding simulator with realistic physics that’s set in more than 20 real-world locations. The game has been available on the App Store for years, but now Arcade subscribers can play on their iPhone and iPad, or even stream a game via AirPlay to an Apple TV without the In-App Purchases.
Sago Mini Jinja’s Garden: a family game that lets preschool-aged kids explore gardens, cook, and harvest ingredients in three distinct 3D areas.
Cozy Caravan: another family-friendly game where kids can create and play as an animal character, make meals, and enjoy activities like fishing and games, all while preparing for the Whizz Bang Fair.
Potion Punch 2+: a restaurant management simulator where you manage a variety of shops like the Potion Café or Enchantment Shop. The app features a fantasy theme filled with magic and monsters with an amusing storyline.
Then starting this Friday, a host of new Apple TV shows will begin to appear:
The International Emmy Award-winning Israeli spy thriller returns for its third season with Hugh Laurie, who joins the cast as a South African nuclear inspector. Created by Moshe Zonder, Dana Eden, and Maor Kohn, the series follows Mossad agent Tamar Rabinyan (Niv Sultan) as she takes on dangerous missions deep inside Iran. After going rogue at the end of season two, Tamar fights to win back the Mossad’s support and survive, with the eight-episode season directed by Daniel Syrkin.
I loved season one of this series starring Idris Elba, who returns as corporate negotiator Sam Nelson in this real-time thriller. After saving a hijacked flight last season, Sam finds himself at the center of a new crisis on a Berlin underground train. The eight-episode season includes new cast members Toby Jones, Lisa Vicari, and Clare-Hope Ashitey, with returning stars Christine Adams, Max Beesley, and Archie Panjabi.
This month is a relatively quiet one for Apple TV, but there are a few gems coming soon, and Apple Arcade has a bunch of new games that are out tomorrow, so let’s dig into the highlights of both.
I was pretty excited to see PowerWash Simulator coming to Apple Arcade. I know a lot of people find these types of simulator games relaxing, but I’ve never tried one, so I think I’ll dip into PowerWash over the holidays.
Cult of the Lamb is a great roguelite from Massive Monster that was originally published by Devolver Digital in 2022 and is coming to Apple Arcade. According to Apple’s press release:
This version includes exclusive content, including new follower forms, decorations, and outfits, along with all existing content updates and paid packs.
If you haven’t played it yet, be sure to check out Cult of the Lamb. It’s a game I have returned to several times since its initial release, and I expect it will do well on Apple platforms.
Subway Surfers is an App Store classic that remains popular more than a decade after its original release. With the plus version on Arcade, subscribers can enjoy the game uninterrupted by ads or in-app purchases.
NARUTO: Ultimate Ninja STORM+ originally debuted on the Sony PS3 and was later ported to other platforms including mobile phones. On iOS, the 3D arena fighting game that’s based on a manga and anime series was available as a paid upfront game. With the plus version, there’s no upfront cost beyond a subscription to Apple Arcade, and the game adds new characters and a new stage.
The First Snow of Fraggle Rock (December 5)
The holiday season is upon us, and Apple TV is kicking things off on Friday with The First Snow of Fraggle Rock, featuring the characters from the Apple TV series.
The biggest event of December for Apple TV is the streaming debut of F1: The Movie. The film has been available to buy or rent for a while after playing in theaters last summer, and now it will be available to stream as part of an Apple TV subscription, too. I haven’t seen F1 since WWDC in June, so I’m looking forward to rewatching it with my family over the holidays.
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