2025’s most downloaded game, Block Blast!, is going ad-free on Apple Arcade
Block Blast!, the puzzle game that was the most downloaded free iPhone title of 2025, is launching an ad-free version on Apple Arcade from 3 September. The move addresses one of the game's biggest complaints: intrusive ads that play after every lost round, forcing players to close and reopen the app to skip them. It also signals that the title, despite still ranking number one on the App Store into 2026, may be past its peak growth and is now being positioned for a subscription-based revenue model.
Block Blast! has amassed around 725 million lifetime installs according to Appfigures, with some estimates as high as 868 million, and reported 70 million daily active users alongside 300 million monthly active users earlier in 2026. However, monthly downloads appear to have declined from a late-2024 high of nearly 50 million, suggesting the game is maturing. The ad-free version, Block Blast!+, arrives on Apple Arcade alongside titles including Art of Fauna: Cozy Puzzles+, NFL Retro Bowl '27 and Let's Play! Oink Games+; Apple Arcade costs $6.99 a month or can be bundled with Apple One plans starting at $19.95 a month.
- Block Blast! gets an ad-free version on Apple Arcade from 3 September
- Game has up to 868 million lifetime installs, was 2025's top download
- Downloads may be declining from late-2024 peak, hinting at maturing title
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
This move directly addresses documented player frustration with intrusive ads whilst maintaining the original free version available to all. By offering an ad-free option on Apple Arcade, the developer creates choice without forcing change: players content with ads continue free, whilst those seeking quality can subscribe. For a game past its growth phase, transitioning revenue to a sustainable subscription model is sensible business strategy that respects both player preferences and company viability.
The case against
Placing the optimal ad-free experience behind a subscription paywall fundamentally changes the game from freely accessible to partially paywalled. Whilst the free ad-supported version persists, creating any financial barrier to the better experience contradicts the universal accessibility that enabled Block Blast! to reach 725 million players. By requiring subscription for the definitive experience, the move risks reducing total addressable market and abandons the inclusive model that drove its unprecedented success.