Planned
Backgammon,
an old rivalry, renewed.
Some rivalries last a lifetime. Two old friends, one board, and a running score that goes back decades. Keep it going from anywhere: live over FaceTime or Messages, or a move at a time over days. The dice are honest, and neither of your phones can pick a roll. And on your own, a strong, fair computer opponent is ready to play.
This is our plan for Backgammon. Solitaire and Mahjong are out now, and we finish one app at a time, so the details may change before it's ready.
- Price
- Free, optional Pro
- Players
- You, or two together
- Dice
- Honest, every roll
- Ads
- None, ever
- Data collected
- None
Two players. One long rivalry.
Backgammon is a race, a gamble and a conversation, all at once. It was made for two people who know each other well. So we made playing together the heart of this app.
One tap, and they're in
Start a game from FaceTime or Messages. Your friend taps once and sits down. No accounts. No codes. No setup. Hosting is free, and joining is free.
Live, or over days
Play live on a call. Or take turns through Game Center, a move whenever you have a minute, one game stretching across the week.
Dice nobody can choose
Every roll mixes a secret from both of your phones, sealed before either is revealed. Neither phone can predict a roll, or pick one.
Only the people you know
No strangers. No chat rooms. No public tables. Your game travels through Apple, never through us. We never see it, and we like it that way.
A classic board. Honest dice.
A proper board, dice that land like dice, and every roll on the record.
Illustrations of the planned design. The finished app may look different.
How Backgammon plays
Two players. Fifteen pieces each. A race around the board and off it.
Roll and move
Roll two dice. Move your pieces by each number.
Hit
Land on a lone opposing piece and send it back. It has to come back in before anything else can move.
Home
Bring all fifteen pieces home, then take them off the board. First one off wins.
Learn to play Backgammon Rules Playbook Best practices
Five things we'll never compromise
Every game we make has to pass the same five tests. Here's how Backgammon passes them.
Easy, from the first roll
Tap a piece, and every place it can go is shown, marked with its die. Change your mind any time before you finish your turn. A free hint every game suggests a move.
Clean and calm
No chips. No coins. No wagers. No clock hurrying you. Just the board and whoever's across from you.
Private. Completely.
No accounts. No ads. No tracking. On your own, it works offline and nothing leaves your device. With friends, your game travels through Apple, never through us.
Beautiful
A classic board with dice that tumble and settle like real ones. Every detail made by hand, because the people you play with deserve it.
Fun, and fair
The dice are set before the game begins, and the computer never sees a roll ahead of time. Every roll is on the record. Play a single game, or a match to 3, 5, 7, 9 or 11.
Backgammon for everyone
A clear board, spoken rolls and moves, and a pace that's all yours.
VoiceOver throughout
Every square and every checker is announced. Every move is spoken. Backgammon works beautifully without looking.
Voice and Switch Control
Standard accessibility actions, including a list of the moves you can make.
Sizes that fit
Larger pieces and a larger board, whenever you want them. Full Dynamic Type everywhere else.
High contrast
Pieces you can tell apart by shape and shade, not just color. Never color alone.
Reduce Motion
With Reduce Motion on, pieces fade into place instead of sliding.
How far to go, on screen
See how far each side has left to go, if you like. No mental arithmetic required.
Free to play. Free to play together.
The whole game is free, and so is every game with friends, hosting and joining. Pro is one optional purchase for players who want more. Nothing to renew. Nothing to remove.
Free
Forever. Not a trial.
- The complete game, on your own or with a friend
- Play with friends: host or join, always free
- Live, or a move at a time over days
- Undo within your turn
- A free hint every game
- Every roll of the game, on the record
- Board sizes and every accessibility feature
- Works offline on your own, no account needed
Pay once
A single optional purchase.
- More hints in each game
- Coach: a quiet note when there's a better play, and why
- Practice: short drills for the trickiest rolls
- Themes for the board and pieces
- Named saved games, as many as you like, each with a note
- 8-bit mode: your own table, drawn in retro pixels
- Saved games, synced through your iCloud
- Detailed stats and streaks
One-time purchase. Yours forever.
What's in Pro, and its price, will be decided closer to release. The full game will always be free.
Good to know
Can I play with friends?
Yes. That's what it's for. Play over FaceTime or Messages with SharePlay, or through Game Center, live or taking turns over days. Every roll mixes a secret from both phones, so neither one can choose the dice. Always free, with no accounts and no servers of ours.
Does my friend need Pro?
No. Your friend needs Backgammon, which is free, and one tap. Never Pro, never an account, never a sign-in.
When will Backgammon be released?
Solitaire and Mahjong are out now, and Backgammon comes later. We make one app at a time, and we don't announce dates we can't keep. The day it's ready, this page gets a download link.
Will it cost anything?
Not to play. Backgammon will be free to download, and the whole game free to play, on your own or with friends. Pro will be an optional one-time purchase. There will never be ads or a subscription.
Are the dice really random?
Yes. On your own, every roll is set before the game begins, and the computer never sees one ahead of time. Afterwards, you can look back at every roll of the game.
Do I need an internet connection or an account?
Never an account. Playing on your own works fully offline, and your games and stats stay on your device. Playing with friends far away needs a connection, and that's all it needs.
Will it come to Android?
Yes, that's the plan. The whole collection comes to Android after the iPhone and iPad apps.
Data Not Collected
That's the App Store privacy label on every app we make, Backgammon included. No accounts. No analytics. No advertising. Nothing you do in the app ever reaches us.
Coming later to iPhone and iPad.
Solitaire and Mahjong are out now, and Backgammon comes later. We don't collect email addresses, so there's no list to join. Check back here, and meet Solitaire while you wait.