Block Blast! goes ad-free with Apple Arcade launch

The most downloaded mobile game of last year has just landed on Apple’s subscription gaming service, Apple Arcade. On Tuesday, Apple announced the addition of Block Blast!+, an ad-free version of the popular puzzle game that has around 725 million lifetime installs, according to app intelligence provider Appfigures — other estimates put the figure even higher, at 868 million. The game will be released on Apple Arcade on September 3, alongside 2025 App Store Award winner Art of Fauna: Cozy Puzzles+ and other titles.

Apple’s internal data indicates Block Blast! was the most downloaded free iPhone game of 2025, and it has continued to rank No. 1 in the early months of 2026, according to developer Hungry Studio and other third-party app intelligence providers such as Sensor Tower.

Given that the puzzle game continues to acquire tens of millions of new users every month, it raises the question of why the studio would offer an ad-free Arcade version now, before growth has plateaued. Just a few months ago, the studio reported that Block Blast! was still seeing high engagement, with 70 million daily active users and 300 million monthly active users worldwide, and it even promoted the title at this year’s Coachella — suggesting there’s still room for growth. However, a deeper look at the data indicates Block Blast! downloads may have fallen from their peak in late 2024, when it was pulling in nearly 50 million downloads per month, suggesting the title is maturing — which makes it a good candidate for Apple’s subscription service.

For Block Blast! fans, the Arcade version addresses the most annoying part of playing the puzzler: ads that play after every loss before a new session can start, leading players to swipe the game closed and reopen it just to skip them. The Arcade version removes that friction. Apple Arcade costs $6.99 per month for its 200-plus games, or can be bundled with Apple One plans starting at $19.95 per month for individuals. Other titles launching on Arcade September 3 include NFL Retro Bowl ‘27, Coloring Games for Families+, and Let’s Play! Oink Games+, a digital collection of nine tabletop games.

Why it matters

Moving a still-growing hit game into a subscription bundle, rather than waiting for growth to plateau, signals Apple sees ad-free conversion as a way to extend a title’s commercial life before its download curve peaks.