How to Challenge a Friend in the Game Center

Apple discontinued the Game Center app and its gaming social network in 2016

What to Know

  • In iOS: Go to the Settings app and select Game Center. Choose Add Friends and enter contact details to invite friends to games.
  • On older devices: Tap the Games tab, then choose a game. On the leader board, tap a friend's name to issue a challenge.
  • Many Game Center features were discontinued with iOS 10 and macOS Sierra.

The Apple Game Center app was discontinued with iOS 10 and macOS Sierra. It now operates as a tool that developers can incorporate into their games. If a game developer uses Game Center, then you may be able to challenge your friends to play.

Can You Still Challenge Friends Through Game Center?

Starting with iOS 10, some Game Center features were moved to the Settings app, where you can enable or disable them. The social networking aspects of Game Center have been dropped in favor of third-party app integration. The option to issue challenges to friends in Game Center still exists, but it's limited.

One of the cool features of the Game Center was the ability to challenge your friends to see who got the highest score. You can no longer add or remove friends in Game Center; however, if you added someone as a friend before iOS 10, you can still play against them in some games that support multiplayer challenges. For example, you can compete to see who can get the highest score in games like Temple Run 2 for iPad.

How to Issue a Challenge From Within the Game

If you can access the high-score leader boards from within the game, you can issue a challenge. Leader boards display the scores of your friends who play the game and of other players worldwide. When you tap the name of the friend you want to challenge, the screen changes so that you can send a challenge.  

If you can't find the leader boards, look for an Achievements button in the game and tap it.

How to Challenge a Friend From the Game Center App

If you're using an older Apple device with the Game Center app installed, tap the Games tab at the bottom of the screen. Locate the game you want to issue the challenge from and tap the icon. You'll see the leader board with your friends listed on the left and other players on the right. Tap your friend's name to see where you rank on your friend's list and issue a challenge. 

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