Despite strong hardware and infrastructure for games, it remains niche at best.
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What developers say Apple needs to do to make the Apple TV a gaming console
- Thread starter JournalBot
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Apple’s stupid insistence on controllers needing to pay licensing fees (aka. MFI) to work on iOS/tvOS is something they need to drop. I own an Apple TV but I refuse to waste money on an overpriced controller when I should just be able to use any of the many Bluetooth controllers I already own from all the Sony and Nintendo consoles of the past two generations.
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I wish Apple would just build one, and make it at least an option for Apple TV.
I own 2 4K units, and an iPad Pro. I went ahead and bought a SteelSeries controller. It works fine for every game I have...which is quite a few as I have 4 sons and 2 grandsons.
But, every now and then, it wonks out and I have to re-pair. And maybe an Apple gamepad would do that too, BUT, until they build it we won’t know.
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i've had a lot of fun with the Apple TV at parties where each person's phone acted as a controller.
for the party experience where not everyone is a "gamer" there were some nice social games.
that said, FS, build a controller already. this is an issue older than people wanting an x-Mac.
for the party experience where not everyone is a "gamer" there were some nice social games.
that said, FS, build a controller already. this is an issue older than people wanting an x-Mac.
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It all boils down to the fact Apple don't care about games running on their systems. But hey... Myst was good wasn't it?
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Yeah... no. As a developer, that stupid remote requirement makes developing games on the apple TV a 100% no go.
Apple purposely gimped itself so that the Apple TV will not be a gaming platform.
Apple's actions speak for themselves.
Apple purposely gimped itself so that the Apple TV will not be a gaming platform.
Apple's actions speak for themselves.
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In addition to the controller issue as already mentioned —the licensing programme means you have to pay more than you would on other platforms for a first-party controller, to receive one of third-party quality — I just don't think the AppleTV is well positioned for gaming.
It's a premium-priced streaming box; its owners have disposable income and are fine paying a premium to improve their experience. Are they the ideal target audience for off-brand controllers for a gaming console lite?
It's a premium-priced streaming box; its owners have disposable income and are fine paying a premium to improve their experience. Are they the ideal target audience for off-brand controllers for a gaming console lite?
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Something of note (which should improve Apple TV gaming) is that iOS 12.1 does appear to support an R3/L3 button. New controllers could actually support a console port without compromising on controls.
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Given how absolutely terrible the Apple TV remote’s touchpad is—my blood pressure shoots up every time I have to use it to select anything on screen—perhaps we should be thankful they haven’t applied that too-little too-little too-little TOO-MUCH!! algorithm to an Apple game controller.
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Personally, I've been dying for an Apple TV Gaming Edition. It should come with at least one controller and it should be a higher end chipset. I'd pay $399 for it. They should own the Nintendo piece of the gaming market except they don't know shit about gaming. That's an easy 3 or 4 billion dollar pick up for them but when you are working on other products that bring in 10's of billions it's easy to see why this hasn't happened. Maybe we'll see more when they move more aggressively into the AR/VR space.
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Like Miracast you mean?
If Apple were serious about gaming they could pick up Sega relatively cheaply for a few billion. Do some native ports of Sega-owned IP and release official emulators for all the Sega consoles. The CPU in the ATV4K should be beefy enough to handle up to 6th-gen consoles.
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Wireless HDMI has existed for ages. Its not good. Also there is already a wireless display standard Apple refuses to use on their devices with Miracast/WiDi (which I believe uses wifi direct)
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would a dedicated controller have less latency than the apple remote? I play Alto's Odyssey on the iPad and have tried it on the tv, but while touch is instantaneous on the iPad there's a bit of lag between input and response using the controller.
Or is this something that you just get used to over time?
Or is this something that you just get used to over time?
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I wonder if Nintendo could enter and own the Apple TV market, selling a bundle of a custom designed controller for Apple TV and games from the main franchising.
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It’s possible Apple is waiting a generation or two before focusing on Apple TV gaming as the horsepower simply isn’t there yet to push 4K beyond simple indie titles.
Or they just don’t care about games, which is insane to me as:
1) most of their App Store revenue comes from games, and
2) they want people to buy apps at higher price points, which AAA games (ports, or otherwise) would command
Or they just don’t care about games, which is insane to me as:
1) most of their App Store revenue comes from games, and
2) they want people to buy apps at higher price points, which AAA games (ports, or otherwise) would command
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I love my Apple TV, bar none the best electronic device I own, but with that said I don’t get wanting to play games on it.
There are so many alternatives, most of which already shine brightly, that I just don’t see the appeal.
I’m not knocking those who want it, I just think there are a lot of better paths to get to the same destination.
There are so many alternatives, most of which already shine brightly, that I just don’t see the appeal.
I’m not knocking those who want it, I just think there are a lot of better paths to get to the same destination.
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The thing is, the Apple TV hardware is so ridiculously overkill for its primary use case (watching streaming content), that it’s a massive wasted opportunity that it’s not also a gaming platform. There’s no reason why it wouldn’t have a thriving indie gaming ecosystem on par with the Nintendo Switch, if not for Apple’s continued mishandling of it.
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there are plenty of others in this market true, it may be a question of Apple not wanting to market the platform this way due to not being able to be the best in category.
at the same time it seems so simple to add gaming as "and it can do this too" option relatively easily.
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Just to clarify, you'd pay 399$ for a console with few full game developers, no good long term gaming history, and neither the power of the Xbox 1 or PS4 nor portability and 1st party strength of the Switch?
Why?
Edit: I'm not saying Apple TV shouldn't have a gaming platform, but to pay over the cost of current consoles???
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Loved the very accurate one-sentence summary of GameLoft:
"Modern Combat 5 on the Apple TV, from Gameloft, a company that mass produces bad knockoffs."
"Modern Combat 5 on the Apple TV, from Gameloft, a company that mass produces bad knockoffs."
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I have one by my tv. It's fine as a streaming service but honestly it offers nothing more than any other tv box out there while costing quite a lot more than the competition. Additionally, it requires you to be tied to the wall of Apple's secure garden if you want to use it to its full potential (or more like without any problems).
If Apple is serious about the Apple TV then they should price it very competitively and offer it as a standalone gaming device a la the PS4 rather than as a tv box for those who are too deep in Apple's walled garden.
If Apple is serious about the Apple TV then they should price it very competitively and offer it as a standalone gaming device a la the PS4 rather than as a tv box for those who are too deep in Apple's walled garden.
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MilanKraft
Ars Tribunus Angusticlavius
Or you know, don't. Because form should follow function and we don't need another gaming console. If Apple wants a first rate television console, they should design and make one specifically for that purpose.
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Yep. This is my thought too. I’m not paying $80 for a mediocre MFI controller to play Sonic 2. If I could use any old bluetooth controller like the One pad I have lying around, I’d probably buy a game on there every once in a while. Or pick up something I have on iPad but with a controller too.
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Apple missed the mother of opportunities when they launched the first Siri remote Apple TV. The hype and interest was there. The Apple TV App Store was brand new. Had they just made they made the device cost 99 dollars with Siri remote and 149 for a version with an Apple built gaming controller then it could have really taken off for gaming. Riding off the strength and momentum of iOS.
It’s not too late, but it seems like they have little vision for where the product should go.
It’s not too late, but it seems like they have little vision for where the product should go.
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Why would they? Consoles sell at a loss for the first few years. Apple will NEVER DO THAT. If they did it would have the power of a Switch at double the price.
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I agree it's mostly a streaming box but it's above many of the other TV Boxes in response and speed.
- Android TV (I have yet to find anything that is close to Roku or Apple in terms of responsiveness).
- Amazon Fire TV (Original Stick is slow. The "Diamond" is finally up to speed but suffers from one of the worst UI's ever! It's like visiting a site and having a ton of popup ads.
- Roku. Solid it's on my bedroom TV. Responsive. Little to no issues.
- Apple TV. Same as the Roku. On my main tv, little to no issues.
- Chromecast. Wait let me get my phone! I know this is a big feature but I like just being able to pickup a remote and selecting a movie.
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If they tried to push Apple TV gaming harder, I don't think that would mean developers would port console games to it. It would just be more phone games blown up on your telly.
iOS <-> Apple TV ports are pretty easy. However, even if Apple suddenly decided to advertise Apple TV as a third gaming option, it's not like Namco would suddenly port Dark Souls III or One Piece: Burning Blood. There'd be no ancillary benefit of a mobile version.
Marzipan is probably also not going to persuade game ports. Mac hardware is just not tailored for games.
iOS <-> Apple TV ports are pretty easy. However, even if Apple suddenly decided to advertise Apple TV as a third gaming option, it's not like Namco would suddenly port Dark Souls III or One Piece: Burning Blood. There'd be no ancillary benefit of a mobile version.
Marzipan is probably also not going to persuade game ports. Mac hardware is just not tailored for games.
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Shield TV is as good if not better than 4K Apple TV. Albeit, at a premium price.
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That's assuming they would have a Nintendo Switch like ecosystem. It's more an aspirational thing. I paid more for my Switch but I use my Apple TV more. The value is there.
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The future of gaming is streaming...if Apple has the data centres to distribute this (Like MS/AMZ/Goog do and will) they should scoop up Nintendo for its IP before someone else does. I'm betting AMZ will scoop up SONY for its games/video/music IP. Gaming is going to change alot in the next 10 years imo.
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It's a micro console. Seeing how every one of them is pretty much a huge failure, I'm not sure why one done by a company like apple is somehow going to do better. Apple's history in gaming is..bad to say the least. Has apple ever produced a game that wasn't that number sliding game?
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Sega is hardly relevant anymore, but it couldn't hurt - that game selection in the screenshots is godawful. I know they're based on mobile, but that's Ouya level stuff. IOS itself has so much more, even just ports of old games. And a mascot and a franchise worked for everyone else, after all.
Without a first party studio or major spending, they won't go anywhere, and it's honestly baffling. They're repeating that mistake for video, too. They don't need to do everything well, but all this stuff looks like low hanging fruit. Who doesn't have a successful game app store now? MS, Nintendo, Sony, Epic, EA, Google, BlizzAct, etc. all manage it.
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