According to AppleInsider, Apple has officially joined the advisory board of The Game Awards, the gaming industry’s equivalent of the Oscars that attracted an estimated 154 million livestreams during its 2024 ceremony. The company now sits alongside major gaming players including Activision, AMD, Epic Games, Microsoft, Nintendo, Sony, and Valve on the board that helps guide the awards’ mission. While Apple won’t influence nominee or winner selection, its appointment reflects the company’s growing gaming ambitions beyond its dominant App Store position. The 2025 Game Awards ceremony is scheduled for December 11 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, California. This development signals Apple’s strategic positioning within the gaming industry’s power structure.
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Beyond Mobile: Apple’s Gaming Evolution
Apple’s advisory board appointment represents more than just a symbolic gesture—it’s a calculated move in the company’s multi-year gaming transformation. While the App Store has long been the world’s largest gaming platform by revenue and user count, Apple has historically been viewed as a distribution channel rather than a gaming company. This perception has shifted dramatically with initiatives like Apple Arcade, the Game Porting Toolkit bringing major titles to Mac, and strategic acquisitions like RAC7. Joining The Game Awards advisory board places Apple at the decision-making table alongside companies that have shaped gaming culture for decades, elevating its status from platform provider to industry stakeholder.
The Unspoken Tensions in the Advisory Room
The advisory board composition creates fascinating corporate dynamics that AppleInsider’s report only hints at. Apple now sits alongside Epic Games, currently engaged in a legal battle over App Store policies, and Microsoft, which has its own competing mobile gaming ambitions. This arrangement forces direct competitors to collaborate on industry-wide initiatives while maintaining their competitive market positions. The inclusion of multiple platform holders—Sony, Nintendo, Microsoft, Valve, and now Apple—suggests The Game Awards recognizes the evolving definition of what constitutes a gaming platform in an era where mobile, cloud, and traditional consoles compete for attention. Apple’s presence ensures mobile gaming’s voice is represented in these high-level industry conversations.
What This Means for Gaming’s Future
Apple’s elevated role at The Game Awards could have ripple effects across multiple gaming sectors. For developers, it signals that Apple is serious about bridging the gap between mobile and traditional gaming—a divide that has often left mobile games underrepresented in mainstream gaming recognition. The success of Apple Arcade titles like Balatro, which won multiple awards at the 2024 ceremony, demonstrates that quality gaming experiences are platform-agnostic. As Apple continues to invest in gaming-specific hardware capabilities and development tools, its advisory position gives it influence over how gaming excellence is defined and celebrated industry-wide, potentially elevating mobile and Mac gaming’s prestige.
The Roadblocks in Apple’s Gaming Ascent
Despite this strategic positioning, Apple faces significant challenges in its gaming ambitions. The company’s strict App Store policies continue to create friction with developers and regulators alike. Its hardware, while capable, hasn’t been optimized for high-end gaming in the same way as dedicated consoles or gaming PCs. The advisory board role also comes with expectations—Apple will need to demonstrate genuine commitment to gaming innovation beyond simply protecting its App Store revenue. As noted by Video Games Chronicle, which first spotted the website change, Apple’s influence is explicitly limited regarding award selections, meaning the company must find other ways to leverage this position for industry credibility.
Gaming’s New Power Balance
Looking toward the December 2025 ceremony, Apple’s advisory role could signal broader changes in how gaming excellence is recognized. The industry is increasingly platform-agnostic, with successful titles spanning iPhone, consoles, and PC. Apple’s presence ensures that the massive mobile gaming market—often overlooked in traditional gaming circles—receives proper representation in industry-defining conversations. This appointment isn’t just about awards; it’s about Apple securing its seat at the table where gaming’s future is being shaped, from technological standards to creative recognition. As gaming continues to converge across platforms, Apple’s advisory position gives it a voice in defining what comes next.
