The Games app for iPhone, iPad and Mac acts as a central hub for all your games, bringing together titles from the App Store, Apple Arcade and your entire gaming history in one clear library.
Along with iOS 26.2, iPadOS 26.2 and macOS 26.2, Apple has expanded the new Games app with smarter sorting and filtering options, real controller support and live score updates. We list the new options for you.
Games app from Apple
The brand new Games app acts as a central hub for all your games, bringing together titles from the App Store, Apple Arcade and your entire gaming history in one clear library. You’ll find personalized recommendations, easily return to recently played games, and have instant access to your entire collection.
The App also shows all previously downloaded games, even if they are no longer on your device. The app includes separate tabs for Home, Apple Arcade, Library and Play Together, and allows you to quickly search for new games or updates to your favorite titles.
The social functions have been greatly expanded compared to Game Center. This way you can see what friends are playing in real time, invite them directly to a multiplayer game or challenge them to improve your score. In addition, you can easily view each other’s performance via integrated leaderboards and victories.
With the Games app, for the first time, Apple offers a full-fledged, all-in-one gaming experience that completely replaces Game Center and puts discovering, sharing and playing games together at the heart of the Apple ecosystem
Better organize your gaming library
The play library has been expanded with new sorting and filtering options. This gives you much more control over how you organize your games. Previously, you could only sort your games library by name and recently played. Starting with software update 26.2, Apple is adding a third sorting option: sort by size.
This is more convenient than you think. If you have limited disk space on your iPhone or iPad, you can quickly see which games are using the most space. This makes it easier to decide which games you can delete to free up space.
In addition to sorting, you also get more options to filter your library. To do this, go to Library and tap or click on the three horizontal lines next to ‘Your Games’. You can then filter in various ways including; Games your friends play, challenge support, controller and more.
Extensive controller support
An important issue for gamers with an external controller has been resolved. Until now, navigating the Games app with a gamepad has been difficult, as you often had to switch to touch controls. With software update 26.2, Apple is improving game controller compatibility so you can fully control the app with your Bluetooth controller, without having to bring your hands to the screen. This is a benefit for users of an Apple Arcade controller or an Xbox or PlayStation controller.
Real-time score updates as you play
Perhaps the most useful new feature: scores in the Games app now update in real-time while you play. This means your friends can see you improving without having to close the app or pause your game. And vice versa – if a friend overtakes you in a leaderboard while you’re playing, you’ll see it immediately, without having to log in again.
This fits seamlessly with Apple’s strategy to make Games not just a collection app, but a truly social gaming experience where friends continue to challenge each other.
All your Game Center friends and groups will appear in the ‘Game Together’ tab. Immediately you can see which games you have played together, what your friends are playing, what goals you have achieved and you can invite each other to play together in multiplayer games or participate in competitions.