Puyo Puyo Puzzle Pop announced for Apple Arcade

Apple is on the verge of introducing new AI features with the release of iOS 18, as it has been working on various tools for a while. However, the company is also keen on improving the Apple Maps experience for users so they do not have to rely on Google Maps. The company has been working to improve its Maps app as well as the navigation it offers, with a handful of nifty improvements, as shown in the patent below.

There have been hints about Apple’s AI ambitions coming this year but CEO Tim Cook laid it out, saying Apple had, “incredible breakthrough potential for generative AI.” Here’s what I think is coming at Apple's WWDC developer conference on June 10.

Publisher Headup Games and developer Dvora Studio have announced deckbuilder dungeon defense game Vambrace: Dungeon Monarch for PC (Steam). It will launch in Q4 2024.

Publisher United Label and developer Odd Bugg Studio have announced medieval adventure RPG sequel Tails of Iron II: Whiskers of Winter for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC (Steam). It will launch in 2024.

Playdigious will publish Kimeria-developed connections-based logic puzzle game Linkito when it launches for PC via Steam this summer, the companies announced. A demo is available now.

An upcoming cozy Lord of the Rings game has shared a first look at its artwork after being announced in September, and there's "more to come soon."

Epic Games has shown off the future of its powerful Unreal Engine, including a first glimpse at Amy Hennig's Captain America and Black Panther game, and closer integration of the eye-catching MetaHumans tech into UEN, during this year's annual State of Unreal broadcast by the company.

Whenever Apple rolls out a lofty new idea, it invites as many skeptics as it does fans. Devices like the Vision Pro birthed naysayers from the moment it was announced, but armchair criticism has rarely, if ever, put a dent in the tech giant’s plans. It has a way of committing to its products and initiatives, even when outsiders might think no one is using them.

Apple has announced five titles coming to the Apple Arcade service in April, including two spatial games for the Vision Pro Headset. New games Puyo Puyo Puzzle Pop, Super Monsters Ate My Condo+, and Sago Mini Trips+ will be available on April 4 across Apple devices. Meanwhile, Apple Vision Pro users will get Crossy Road Castle and Solitaire Stories on April 25. The Vision Pro mixed reality headset launched last month and boasts over a dozen spatial gaming experiences.

Falcom has announced the tentatively titled action RPG Tokyo Xanadu New Project for unspecified console(s) in celebration of the series’ 10th anniversary. A release date was not announced.

Nine Dots Publishing and developer Nine Dots Studio have announced open-world action RPG sequel Outward 2 for unspecified consoles and PC (Steam). A release date was not announced.

Apple has been pretty adamant so far that its new mixed-reality headset doesn't need any controllers. While other VR headsets opt for small handheld controllers, interfacing with the Apple Vision Pro is done completely with hand tracking, eye tracking, and integrated Siri voice commands. However, a new patent filed by Apple could hint that the company is expanding the headset's portfolio.