Hungry Studio’s Block Blast! to debut ad-free on Apple Arcade in September
Apple confirms the launch of Block Blast!+ on 3 September, offering an ad-free experience for the puzzle game which has amassed up to 868 million lifetime installs.
Apple has announced that Block Blast!+, an ad-free version of the puzzle game developed by Hungry Studio, will launch on Apple Arcade on 3 September. The release marks a strategic shift for the title, which was the most downloaded free iPhone game in 2025 and continues to rank at the top of charts in early 2026.
According to app intelligence provider Appfigures, the game has accumulated approximately 725 million lifetime installs, with other estimates placing the figure as high as 868 million. Apple’s internal data confirms the title’s dominance in the previous year, while third-party trackers such as Sensor Tower note its sustained No. 1 ranking in the initial months of 2026.
The decision to bring the game to a subscription model comes as download metrics suggest the title is maturing. While the game previously saw nearly 50 million downloads per month in late 2024, recent data indicates a decline from that peak. Despite this, Hungry Studio reports the game maintains 70 million daily active users and 300 million monthly active users worldwide, having even promoted the title at this year’s Coachella festival.
For the user base, the Apple Arcade release addresses long-standing frustration with the free version’s monetisation model. The standard iteration requires players to watch advertisements after every loss before they can restart a session, a mechanic that has led to user complaints and app abandonment. The new version, Block Blast!+, removes these interruptions entirely.
Apple Arcade, which costs $6.99 per month or is bundled with Apple One plans starting at $19.95 per month for individuals, will host the game alongside other new additions on 3 September. These include the 2025 App Store Award winner Art of Fauna: Cozy Puzzles+, NFL Retro Bowl ’27, Coloring Games for Families+, and Let’s Play! Oink Games+.
