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Apple Arcade is already here three days early: How to sign up now

The gaming service, set to launch Thursday, is available now in the iOS 13 public beta.

Corinne Reichert Senior Editor
Corinne Reichert (she/her) grew up in Sydney, Australia and moved to California in 2019. She holds degrees in law and communications, and currently writes news, analysis and features for CNET across the topics of electric vehicles, broadband networks, mobile devices, big tech, artificial intelligence, home technology and entertainment. In her spare time, she watches soccer games and F1 races, and goes to Disneyland as often as possible.
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  • I've been covering technology and mobile for 12 years, first as a telecommunications reporter and assistant editor at ZDNet in Australia, then as CNET's West Coast head of breaking news, and now in the Thought Leadership team.
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Clifford Colby Managing Editor
Clifford is a managing editor at CNET, where he leads How-To coverage. He spent a handful of years at Peachpit Press, editing books on everything from the first iPhone to Python. He also worked at a handful of now-dead computer magazines, including MacWEEK and MacUser. Unrelated, he roots for the Oakland A's.
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Corinne Reichert
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2 min read
Apple Arcade across iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV

The Apple Arcade public beta has launched.

 Screenshot by Jason Hiner/CNET

You don't need to wait till Sept. 19 to check out Apple Arcade. Apple's new gaming service is available now, three days before its official launch date, for some users who are running the iOS 13 public beta.

First spotted by MacRumors, the iOS 13 public beta lets you sign up for an Arcade subscription starting now, including the free one-month trial. Apple's family-focused service will let you play play more than 100 exclusive games across iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Mac and Apple TV devices.

Apple Arcade beta

After signing up for the Apple Arcade subscription you get this confirmation. 

 Screenshot by Corinne Reichert/CNET

Apple Arcade , first announced in March, costs $4.99 (£4.99, AU$7.99) a month for unlimited access, with a one-month free trial. Game add-ons and updates come with the subscription, which covers up to six family members.

Apple Arcade officially launches Thursday in over 150 countries. iOS 13 is also being made available on Thursday. The update will run on Phone 6S and later devices, the iPhone SE and the latest iPod Touch.

Key games on the service include The Enchanted World, Where Cards Fall and Shinsekai: Into the Depths.

How to sign up for the iOS 13 pubic beta program

1. Head to Apple's public beta software page.

2. If you already have an account, tap Sign In. If you're new, tap Sign up and follow the instructions.

3. You'll need an Apple ID to join the beta program, so either find yours or create one. 

4. After you sign in, tap the iOS tab and follow the instructions for enrolling your device and then installing the public beta from Software Update on your iOS device.

Watch this: Apple Arcade is changing video games for $5 a month

How to sign up for Apple Arcade

1. On the public beta of iOS 13, head to the App Store.

2. Tap the Arcade tab.

3. If you see something about trying Apple Arcade for free, sign up and start playing.

If you see that the gaming service is coming soon, you don't yet have access to the service.

Apple didn't respond to a request for comment.

More on Apple Arcade

Originally published earlier today.

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