SteelSeries Offers up to Four Months of Apple Arcade Free With Nimbus+ Controller [Updated]

SteelSeries, the makers of popular gaming controllers for Apple devices, has today announced that all purchases of the Nimbus+ Wireless Gamepad Controller will come with up to four free months of Apple Arcade.

steelseries nimbus plus
The SteelSeries Nimbus+ Wireless Gamepad Controller delivers a "console-quality experience" with ‌Apple Arcade‌'s library of games.

Iterating on the original Nimbus controller, the Nimbus+ Wireless Gamepad Controller features an ergonomic design, ultra-responsive triggers and buttons, and a range of Apple connectivity options to work with Phone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, and Apple TV. The Nimbus+ adds a range of new features, including clickable joysticks, new Hall effect triggers, and a 50-hour battery life. The Nimbus+ also features an optional iPhone mount to allows users to directly attach their ‌iPhone‌ to the controller.

SteelSeries notes that the Nimbus+ controller comes with up to four months of ‌Apple Arcade‌, which may indicate that some subscribers who have already redeemed their one-month-long free trial may be eligible for a shorter, three month period of free ‌Apple Arcade‌.

The Nimbus+ controller is available now for $69.99 USD at steelseries.com, the Apple online store, and other participating retailers, including up to four free months of ‌Apple Arcade‌.

Update: SteelSeries has now clarified that Nimbus+ customers will receive a code to redeem three free months of ‌Apple Arcade‌, on top of Apple's one-month free trial. Existing ‌Apple Arcade‌ subscribers will still be able to redeem the code for three free months of the service.

Popular Stories

imac video apple feature

Apple Unveils First New Products of 2026

Monday January 26, 2026 1:55 pm PST by
Apple today introduced its first two physical products of 2026: a second-generation AirTag and the Black Unity Connection Braided Solo Loop for the Apple Watch. Read our coverage of each announcement to learn more:Apple Unveils New AirTag With Longer Range, Louder Speaker, and More Apple Introduces New Black Unity Apple Watch BandBoth the new AirTag and the Black Unity Connection Braided...
Apple Logo Black

Apple Just Made Its Second-Biggest Acquisition Ever After Beats

Thursday January 29, 2026 10:07 am PST by
Apple today confirmed to Reuters that it has acquired Q.ai, an Israeli startup that is working on artificial intelligence technology for audio. Apple paid close to $2 billion for Q.ai, according to sources cited by the Financial Times. That would make this Apple's second-biggest acquisition ever, after it paid $3 billion for the popular headphone and audio brand Beats in 2014. Q.ai has...
iPhone 5s

iPhone 5s Gets New Software Update 13 Years After Launch

Monday January 26, 2026 3:56 pm PST by
Alongside iOS 26.2.1, Apple today released an updated version of iOS 12 for devices that are still running that operating system update, eight years after the software was first released. iOS 12.5.8 is available for the iPhone 5s and the iPhone 6, meaning Apple is continuing to support these devices for 13 and 12 years after launch, respectively. The iPhone 5s came out in September 2013,...
Apple Creator Studio

Apple's Next Launch is Today

Tuesday January 27, 2026 2:39 pm PST by
Update: Apple Creator Studio is now available. Apple Creator Studio launches this Wednesday, January 28. The all-in-one subscription provides access to the Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, Pixelmator Pro, Motion, Compressor, and MainStage apps, with U.S. pricing set at $12.99 per month or $129 per year. A subscription to Apple Creator Studio also unlocks "intelligent features" and "premium...
apple silicon 1 feature

Apple Responds to Skyrocketing RAM and Storage Chip Prices

Thursday January 29, 2026 2:40 pm PST by
On an earnings call with equity analysts today, Apple CEO Tim Cook responded to fast-rising RAM and SSD storage chip prices in the supply chain. Cook said that rising memory chip prices had a "minimal impact" on Apple's gross margin in the fourth quarter of the 2025 calendar year, but he does expect a "bit more of an impact" on the company's gross margin in the current quarter. Cook added ...

Top Rated Comments

cateye Avatar
62 months ago
A hacky, poorly-made, unbalanced controller for people who don't actually like playing games, and Apple Arcade... match made in heaven, really.


What the hell is missing from this equation?
Even the most basic-level understanding of A-level gaming, its developers, or those of us with houses full of Apple products... except for our gaming rigs.


powered by chips more powerful than any console or your average gaming PC
Nintendo says hi. Low-end hardware with beloved game franchises. Knowing your audience and having a razor-like focus on funding and nurturing developer relationships to create the best games possible—that leverage the hardware you choose to build—produces art. Apple sees games as a moneybox they can punch as needed, content to fold people into their low-value "game" subscription or collect 30% of every in-app purchase of bags o' gems. Doesn't matter to Apple as they don't take that audience seriously. The problem is endemic and company-wide.

Top-tier game developers don't work with Apple because Apple doesn't want to work with them. Simple.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mihirdelirious Avatar
62 months ago

It's pretty sad that Apple has an ecosystem of screens at all different sizes and use cases, powered by chips more powerful than any console or your average gaming PC...and yet still cannot get real commitment from AAA game developers to produce console games for the Apple ecosystem.
If you're implying the A series or M1 chips are faster/more powerful than the latest Xbox Series or the PS5 consoles, it isn't true. I think it takes a lot more effort & commitment to run a successful gaming platform like Nintendo or Xbox or Playstation. Besides, Apple's heavy-handed approach in what should and shouldn't be in a video game's content doesn't help either. Fundamentally, Apple doesn't respect video games nor does Apple consider games as Art. They just want to milk the market, but their target demographic is too passionate, vocal & hardcore.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Lemon Olive Avatar
62 months ago
It's pretty sad that Apple has an ecosystem of screens at all different sizes and use cases, powered by chips more powerful than any console or your average gaming PC...and yet still cannot get real commitment from AAA game developers to produce console games for the Apple ecosystem.

What the hell is missing from this equation?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SFjohn Avatar
62 months ago

Grab yourself a Backbone One Controller ('https://playbackbone.com/') while it is a bit pricey it's worth every penny if you're gaming on the go.

Edit: Grammar
That looks cool, I might try one.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
genovelle Avatar
62 months ago

Not sure I want to buy another one of these. They felt and played great, for about 2 years... then became unusable when the battery could no longer hold a charge.
Mine literally died 2 days ago. I believe my son hooked it up to a cheap 3rd part iphone charger I bought in an emergency a few weeks ago. It stopped working the same day.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mihirdelirious Avatar
61 months ago

I'm holding out for the Nimbus 2000.
Yeah, my uncle from Azkaban had one for a while. But I personally find the Firebolt to be more comfortable.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)