Apple Adds 'Ultimate Rivals' Sports Game Franchise to Apple Arcade - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Apple Adds 'Ultimate Rivals' Sports Game Franchise to Apple Arcade

by

Apple today announced the addition of "Ultimate Rivals" from Bit Fry Game Studios to its Apple Arcade gaming service.

Ultimate Rivals is a sports game franchise that brings athletes from hockey, basketball, football, and soccer into one video game, which Apple says is a first in sports gaming.

ultimaterivals
The first title in the franchise, "Ultimate Rivals: The Rink," allows players to choose from more than 50 athletes to compete in two-on-two hockey matches. There are licensed athletes from the NHL, NBA, NFL Players Association (NFLPA), MLB, WNBA and the US Women's National Soccer Team Players Association (USWNTPA), plus retired legends like Wayne Gretzky.


Different combinations of players will unlock unique ways to play and win against the AI or other gamers in online multiplayer matches. According to Apple, the game features 60 frames-per-second graphics, tight controls, leading-edge visuals, and sound design.

"With Apple Arcade, we are committed to delivering a curated catalog where every title offers players a new, innovative experience that pushes the boundaries of what a game can be. The 'Ultimate Rivals' franchise does just that," said Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. "'Ultimate Rivals: The Rink' is a great new addition to Apple Arcade and we are excited for everyone to try it out."

Ultimate Rivals: The Rink is available today on ‌Apple Arcade‌, and it will be followed by an NBA licensed basketball game "Ultimate Rivals: The Court" in the spring of 2020.

Tags: App Store, Apple Arcade Guide

Popular Stories

Apple iCloud Plus expansion hero

iCloud+ Now Includes Apple TV, Apple Arcade, and Curated Apple Music Stations in Over 100 Countries

Tuesday September 15, 2026 1:43 am PDT by
Apple today announced a new subscription initiative that turns paid iCloud+ subscriptions into a broader services bundle in more than 100 countries. In select countries, Apple says every paid iCloud+ plan, including the cheapest 50GB tier, now includes Apple TV and Apple Arcade "at no additional cost," while family sharing extends the storage, TV and Arcade access to up to five people....
Read Full Article • 106 comments
intel macs no more updates

Mac App Store Apps Can Now Drop Support for Intel Macs

Tuesday September 1, 2026 4:50 pm PDT by
Apple today informed developers that universal Mac App Store apps that require macOS 13 or later can remove support for Intel-based Mac computers. We're reaching out to let you know that universal macOS apps on the Mac App Store that require macOS 13 or later can now remove support for Intel-based Mac computers. By removing support for Intel-based Mac computers, you can simplify your...
Read Full Article • 188 comments
MapQuest Logo 2026

MapQuest Tops App Store Charts After Refusing 'Lake America' Change

Monday August 31, 2026 7:49 am PDT by
MapQuest is in the spotlight this week after refusing to change "Lake Ontario" to "Lake America" on its map following an executive order issued by U.S. President Donald Trump last week. As of Monday morning, the MapQuest app is the top free iPhone app on Apple's App Store charts in Canada and fourth on the equivalent U.S. chart. For our younger readers, MapQuest was once a popular service...
Read Full Article • 184 comments

Top Rated Comments

OriginalClone Avatar
OriginalClone
88 months ago
I still haven’t seen anything worth paying $4.99 a month for..
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
FightTheFuture Avatar
FightTheFuture
88 months ago

I still haven’t seen anything worth paying $4.99 a month for..
I know right? $5 is too much. I’d rather spend it on one coffee that lasts 12 minutes and play games with ads and in-app purchases.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
btrach144 Avatar
btrach144
88 months ago

Good to see Apple getting people off their phones and outside playing sports. Is that right? :rolleyes:
Not exactly Apple's mission statement? Anyways the Apple Watch does a pretty good job at doing that.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
PickUrPoison Avatar
PickUrPoison
88 months ago

Good to see Apple getting people off their phones and outside playing sports. Is that right? :rolleyes:
Strange you're not complaining about Steam, Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo... Aren’t those platforms much more popular than Apple Arcade? They must be much more responsible for people sitting inside and playing games, instead of outside playing sports. Right?
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
OriginalClone Avatar
OriginalClone
88 months ago

I know right? $5 is too much. I’d rather spend it on one coffee that lasts 12 minutes and play games with ads and in-app purchases.
Does that trigger you? There’s so many great games available for free or even a one time fee. Everything doesn’t need to be a subscription model.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
OriginalClone Avatar
OriginalClone
88 months ago

Free games w/ no ads or iap???
How’s that work? The devs are all independently wealthy and now like working for free?
Seems unlikely.
Maybe you could name 2 or 3?
I never said there were no iap or ads in free games. Developers have to get paid somehow, I’m just not getting into a subscription to play games on my phone/iPad. COD mobile is completely free to play with no need to buy anything. Asphalt 8/9, NBA 2K mobile (even though I bought NBA 2K20). There’s so many AAA titles available for free or one time purchase that there’s no need for Apple Arcade (for me). Why do you care if I don’t see anything on the service worth paying $5/mo for?
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments