Myst-Like Puzzle Game 'The Witness' Now Available From the App Store - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Myst-Like Puzzle Game 'The Witness' Now Available From the App Store

by

Popular PC and console game The Witness finally made its way to the iPhone and iPad tonight with the official release of the iOS version of the game. If you're not familiar with The Witness, it's a 3D Myst-like puzzle adventure game designed by Jonathan Blow, the developer behind popular game Braid.


In The Witness, players take on the role of a mystery person who wakes up alone on an island full of puzzles that need to be solved. The idea is to explore the island (which is open world), finish puzzles, and discover your identity.

There are more than 500 puzzles to solve and dozens of locations to explore on the island. The game, which took seven years to complete, has been well-received on other platforms both for the gameplay balance and art style.

thewitness
Our sister site TouchArcade has been eagerly awaiting the launch of The Witness since 2011, when we heard the first hints that the game might eventually be released on iOS devices. TouchArcade has followed its progress since then, and shared the news of its launch tonight.

The Witness is priced at $9.99 in the App Store, which is cheaper than the price from Steam or on consoles. In the Mac App Store, for example, it costs $39.99. The Witness is available now on iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch. [Direct Link]

Top Rated Comments

112 months ago
I've played through the game on my PC, and I was curious to see how well it worked on iPad, so I bought it. The movement is a bit combersome. I’d like to see an option for an emulated dual-analog stick control instead of just the tap-to-walk controls.
[doublepost=1505978542][/doublepost]
Myst looks 1000 times better.
you must be referring to how perfectly cone shaped the trees in Myst are, compared to the messy trees in The Witness.

Attachment Image

Attachment Image
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Kabeyun Avatar
112 months ago
0 chance of paying $10 for it.
It took the guy seven years to make. May not be Myst but it looks like an really rich and complex puzzle solver. $10 is 3 or 4 cups of coffee. The problem isn't this game's price. It's our having been spoiled by the early days of the App Store where everything was free or 99¢, even the great stuff. If you go to a brick & mortar game store you'll be happy to find a quality game for $10.

What's surprising to me is that the macOS version costs four times the iOS version. I wonder why.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
112 months ago
When I read that it was Myst-like I was definitely interested. That game was far ahead of its time and still sets the bar. Within 5 seconds of launching the video though I knew my hopes were dashed. This is nothing like the rich textures and soundscapes of Myst. Apparently there isn’t even a storyline. Very disappointed.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
112 months ago
0 chance of paying $10 for it.
It's a shame you feel that way. I played it on PS4 and it is indeed an amazing game and well worth the (small) price of $10.

I'm not sure about the controls on iOS, so I'd wait for some reviews. But, yeah, if (extremely) difficult puzzle games are not your cup of tea, I'd stay away from this.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
meaning-matters Avatar
112 months ago
Myst looks 1000 times better.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
112 months ago
Popular PC and console game The Witness finally made its way to the iPhone and iPad tonight with the official release of the iOS version of the game. If you're not familiar with The Witness, it's a 3D Myst-like puzzle adventure game designed by Jonathan Blow, the developer behind popular game Braid.



In The Witness, players take on the role of a mystery person who wakes up alone on an island full of puzzles that need to be solved. The idea is to explore the island (which is open world), finish puzzles, and discover your identity.

There are more than 500 puzzles to solve and dozens of locations to explore on the island. The game, which took seven years to complete, has been well-received on other platforms both for the gameplay balance and art style.



Our sister site TouchArcade has been eagerly awaiting the launch of The Witness since 2011 ('http://toucharcade.com/2011/08/12/braid-creators-next-game-might-hit-ios/'), when we heard the first hints that the game might eventually be released on iOS devices. TouchArcade has followed its progress ('http://toucharcade.com/2016/08/23/the-witness-for-ios-is-still-happening/') since then, and shared the news ('http://toucharcade.com/2017/09/20/the-witness-just-hit-the-app-store-for-9-99/') of its launch tonight.

The Witness is priced at $9.99 in the App Store, which is cheaper than the price from Steam or on consoles. In the Mac App Store ('https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/the-witness/id1167726849?mt=12'), for example, it costs $39.99. The Witness is available now on iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch. [Direct Link ('https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/the-witness/id1230231705?mt=8')]

Article Link: Myst-Like Puzzle Game 'The Witness' Now Available From the App Store ('https://www.macrumors.com/2017/09/20/the-witness-hits-the-app-store/')
[doublepost=1505973585][/doublepost]Why are games like this not coming out on Apple TV?? Apple TV is such a crappy gaming platform but there a lot of high quality games on iOS. The port to Apple TV should not be that hard...
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Liquid Glass App Store Feature

Apple Made Nearly $900 Million From Generative AI Apps Last Year

Friday March 20, 2026 6:23 am PDT by
Apple collected nearly $900 million in App Store fees from generative AI apps in 2025, according to data from analysis firm AppMagic, covered by The Wall Street Journal ($). The overwhelming majority of Apple's AI app commission revenue came courtesy of ChatGPT downloads leading to subsequent subscriptions, which alone accounted for around 75 percent of the above total. Elon Musk's Grok app...
Apple App Store Awards 2025

Apple Updates App Store Connect With More Than 100 New Metrics

Wednesday March 25, 2026 6:38 am PDT by
App Store Connect is a tool that allows app developers to view App Store metrics such as total downloads, and today it is receiving a major update. "Analytics in App Store Connect receives its biggest update since its launch," said Apple, in a post on its developer news portal. Apple says App Store Connect has a refreshed user experience that makes it easier to measure the performance of...
iOS App Store General Feature Black

Apple Pulls Vibe Coding App 'Anything' From App Store, Escalating Enforcement [Updated]

Monday March 30, 2026 2:33 pm PDT by
Apple has removed a "vibe coding" app from its App Store, reports The Information. AI app building app "Anything" was pulled from the App Store, and Anything co-founder Dhruv Amin was told that his app violated Guideline 2.5.2. "Vibe coding" is a term used for code generated using AI based on natural language with no coding experience necessary. Anything and other apps like it let users...