Optimization
Risk of Rain 2
A Co-Op Roguelike Gets Console Polish and Multiplayer Fixes
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/ Games Co-Development /
Beyond A Steel Sky
Hits Apple Arcade in 4 Months With Pingle
Apple Design
Awards
2021 finalist
70/100
score
on Metacritic
4.4
rating
on Apple Arcade
/ Testimonials /
The best adventure on Apple Arcade
wccftech
7.5/10
[...] this is the best adventure on Apple Arcade, and has a lot to offer fans
Adventure Gamers
4/5
Beyond a Steel Sky is a perfectly joyful experience and a faithful sequel for anyone who loved the original game.
TechRaptor
8/10
[...] it’s when you play it on an iPhone or iPad where the game’s art direction and optimization truly shine.
Reddit user
A must-play!
Definitely the leading game on Apple Arcade right now... don’t miss it folks!
/ Project overview /
Pingle × Revolution Software
About the game
Beyond a Steel Sky is a 3D narrative adventure that combines comic-book visuals, clever puzzles, and social sci-fi themes. Developed and published by Revolution Software, it’s the long-awaited sequel to the 1994 cult classic Beneath a Steel Sky. The game debuted on Apple Arcade in June 2020 and later expanded to other platforms.
Client
Revolution Software
Solution
Co-development
Engine
Unreal Engine 4
Platforms
Release
June 26, 2020
Partnership timeline
2020
About Pingle × Revolution Software partnership
Revolution Software needed a partner to adapt the existing game architecture for Apple Arcade devices without sacrificing visual fidelity or performance. But we had only 4 months to deliver the game. ensuring full content parity on current and older Apple devices.
/ The Challenge /
Adapt Beyond a Steel Sky for Apple’s full device lineup in 4 months
Beyond a Steel Sky had to look great on Apple devices of different generations, which was no small feat. We had to squeeze performance out of older devices, like iPhone 6s Plus, iPad mini 4, and iPad Air 2, rethink assets, and rebuild controls from scratch. Plus, we had to optimize the existing code to get the game ready for release on Apple Arcade.
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/ Phase 1 /
Consistent performance and stunning graphics, no matter the device
The original game featured high-resolution graphics that older iPhones and iPads couldn’t handle. So we profiled CPU and GPU usage to find the heaviest assets and optimized them for smooth gameplay on older Apple gadgets.
1
Pinpointed top resource-heavy assets in characters, environments, and effects that strained performance.
2
Simplified shaders and adjusted LODs to maintain visual fidelity.
3
Rebalanced textures and materials to reduce memory usage without affecting the game’s comic-book style.
Result: Lag-free performance and the game’s bold visual style preserved on all devices.
/ Phase 2 /
Responsive controls → happy players
To bring Beyond a Steel Sky to Apple Arcade, we had to rethink how players interact with the game. We designed a mobile-first control layer from scratch, including touch gestures, taps, and swipe actions. Every element of the UI and input system was tested and refined for speed, responsiveness, and ease of use.
Result: Every swipe, tap, and gesture responds perfectly on Apple devices.
/ Phase 3 /
Feature parity on Arcade-supported devices
Through the development, we ran iterative tests to make sure players would enjoy the full game on both the newest iPhones or older iPads. We also prepared the game for zero-stress submission to Apple Arcade.
1
Performed repeated testing on all target devices.
2
Verified content and feature parity between devices to maintain a consistent experience.
3
Adapted code and assets to meet Apple Arcade’s guidelines for security, analytics, and cross-device sync.
Result: Complete game experience on every Apple device, with no missing features or compromises.
/ The results /
Lag-free gameplay on iPhone 6s, iPad mini 4, and all Apple devices
Before
After
Heavy graphics unsuitable for older hardware
Stable frame rates on iPhone 6s, iPad mini 4, Apple TV, etc.
Risk of visual degradation to meet performance
High-fidelity comic visuals preserved even on weaker devices
Risk of feature gaps on various devices
Full feature parity across the Apple ecosystem
Tight schedule
Seamless Apple Arcade launch in 4 months
/ The team /
Cast
- Peak team size: 6 specialists
/ Cases /
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