Pixel P&L: Why Apple is About to Preinstall a New App on Every Device You Own

This June, Apple will push a button that instantly turns 1.2 billion iPhones, iPads, and Macs into gaming consoles. Their new universal gaming app (preinstalled across every device) will replace the forgotten Game Center with something far more ambitious: a direct challenge to Nintendo's portable gaming empire. The timing? Just four days after Nintendo drops the Switch 2, because apparently Tim Cook believes in the element of surprise.

In today's email: 

🎮 Apple-ing Pressure: How Tim Cook and co. plans to battle consoles.

🏆 Polish and Circumstance: ESL FaceIt ditches Katowice for Kraków's royal treatment. 

💚 The Incredible Bulk: Nvidia's gaming revenue hits $3.8B as graphics cards go beast mode.

🌐 Blocks and Stocks: Why the Minecraft movie's $941M haul has game studios seeing dollar signs

Apple Developing Universal Gaming App for iPhone, iPad, Mac 

Apple is developing a dedicated gaming application that will be preinstalled across its device ecosystem later this year, according to Bloomberg, as the tech giant seeks to strengthen its position against rising competition from gaming consoles and cloud services.

The new app, set to be unveiled at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference on June 9, will replace the company's existing Game Center platform launched in 2010. It will serve as a central hub featuring editorial content on new titles, direct access to App Store games, and promotion of Apple Arcade, the company's $6.99 monthly subscription service.

The timing coincides with Nintendo's anticipated Switch 2 launch on June 5. Apple recently acquired RAC7, the two-person studio behind popular game Sneaky Sasquatch, marking its first game studio acquisition.

The move comes as Apple continues its legal battle with Epic Games, though Fortnite recently returned to the App Store after nearly five years of absence.

ESL FaceIt Group Moves Major Esports Tournament to Kraków in Multi-Year Deal

ESL FaceIt Group, owned by Saudi Arabia's Savvy Games Group, will relocate its Intel Extreme Masters esports tournament from Katowice to Kraków, Poland, starting in 2026. The Counter-Strike 2 championship will run Feb. 6-8, 2026 at Kraków's Tauron Arena, featuring 24 teams competing for $1.25 million in prize money. 

ESL data shows IEM events generate over $40 million in economic impact for host cities, with 73% of attendees citing esports as their primary travel reason. The 19-year-old tournament circuit, which began in Germany, is expanding to accommodate larger audiences and enhance production capabilities as esports viewership grows globally.

"Kraków is a city proud of its royal history, but simultaneously open to the future and innovation," said Kraków Mayor Aleksander Miszalski. The multi-year agreement establishes IEM Kraków as a recurring fixture in the global esports calendar, ESL said. Ticket sales details will be announced later.

⚡Quick Bytes

Nvidia Gaming Revenue Hits Record $3.8 Billion on New Graphics Cards

Nvidia's gaming revenue hit a record $3.8 billion in the first quarter, up 48% from the previous quarter, as the company launched new GeForce RTX 5070 and RTX 5060 graphics cards starting at $299. Strong gamer adoption made the Blackwell graphics architecture Nvidia's "fastest ramp ever," the company said.

'A Minecraft Movie' Drives $941M Box Office, Boosts Game Sales 35%

A Minecraft Movie generated $941 million at the worldwide box office while driving a 35% increase in mobile in-app purchases and console sales for the original game, according to Sensor Tower, illustrating Hollywood's successful strategy of adapting video game properties to boost both entertainment and gaming revenue streams.

Riot Games Plans Valorant Circuit Overhaul to Attract Investment, Open Tier-Two Access

Riot Games is overhauling its 2027 Valorant Champions Tour circuit to make it more accessible to tier-two teams and attract new investments, addressing concerns from organizations that have exited the esports scene due to limited opportunities and roster instability, Global Head Leo Faria said.

Ferrari Launches 2025 Esports Series as Automakers Expand Virtual Racing Investment

Ferrari unveiled its 2025 esports series beginning June 2, featuring six weeks of global qualifying across three sim racing platforms. The competition, which attracted 17,000 entrants last year, offers winners spots on Ferrari's official esports team as automotive brands increasingly invest in virtual racing to reach broader audiences.

⚔️Side Quest

📺 Listen: Listen in as author Amish Tripathi and gaming veteran Nardin Abboud detail their vision for Age of Bharat in our inaugural edition of the Pixel P&L podcast.

🎮 Play: Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake perfectly modernizes a JRPG classic with stunning visuals and quality-of-life improvements, making it ideal for both newcomers and veterans. At 25% off, this legendary adventure offers exceptional value.

📚 Read: Nintendo's Switch 2 may represent the last traditional console generation as rising costs, cloud gaming, and cross-platform releases reshape the industry. Carli Velocci combines economic observations with personal gaming experiences to make a compelling case that console wars are finally ending.

💡Did You Know

Linux gaming hit a milestone in May 2025, reaching 2.69% of Steam users, the highest share since at least 2018. While that might sound small, with Steam's massive growth, this represents a significant increase in actual Linux gamers. Interestingly, the boost wasn't from Steam Deck's SteamOS, but from traditional desktop distributions like Arch Linux and Linux Mint gaining traction among PC gamers.

📜 Quote of the Day

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