Apple’s upcoming set-top boxes will support third-party controllers for gaming, which is good news for anyone (everyone) who doesn’t like gaming with a touchpad. But that still doesn’t mean you should expect hardcore games from your Apple TV.
In the App Programming Guide for tvOS, Apple outlines requirements for game developers — including, unfortunately, a requirement that all games work with the Siri Remote:
- Your game must support the Apple TV remote. Your game may not require the use of a controller
- tvOS games that support controllers must support the extended control layout. All controllers for tvOS are nonformfitting extended controllers
- Games must be playable using standalone controllers. If you support an extended controller, the game must be playable solely with that controller.
The policy is understandable: Apple doesn’t want people downloading games that they then can’t play, because they don’t have the right controller. But equally, it’s limiting if every game has to be controllable with a touchpad.
