From a non-gamer is there any reason there isn't something like an Apple TV Pro that would be a 4K gaming console? I imagine they have hardware capable of this in their existing inventory. Would it be the major game studios are kept locked in to XBox or PS consoles?
Apple tried this, I forgot which year, there was a push to make the Apple TV a console. Arcade support, controller compatibility, it all shipped. You can plug in an Apple TV and pair an Xbox controller right now and play a surprisingly large number of AAA and indie games, from Resident Evil VIII to Slay the Spire. It was too little too late, though. Most games are played on phones, and the console market is falling apart. Microsoft seems to be pulling out, Sony is basically shipping locked-down gaming PCs with a couple of exclusive games. Nintendo is holding course more or less, but their main value propositions are simplicity and first-party exclusivity, and phones already ate the first half of that.
The Apple TV chip is currently quite old. It would be fine for much indie stuff or streaming but pales against a modern phone/iPad.
Have to buy games from the App Store meaning limited selection. Few bother because no one plays games on Apple TV. And since it’s the same as the iPhone app it’s often optimized for that even if the Apple TV was more powerful.
The other big Apple sin is Apple tried a push but (at the time, later changed) demanded games worked with the Apple TV remote only. At least for Apple Arcade. They “had to” because they’ve never sold a gamepad. Only 3rd party ones which weren’t very good.
So you have to buy games from Apple that are either super simplistic (to work well on phone) or advanced but old (RE VII), play on an old chip, on a TV while it was probably designed for a phone, and pay $70+ to Nintendo/Sony/MS to buy a good quality game pad.
Surprise. It never went anywhere.
There was a rumor that they’re going to try again with a first-party controller. If they’re smart they will just white label one from a good company. And they should absolutely push cloud gaming with PS/MS. Steam Link is a good idea.
A new Apple TH is rumored any day now (and has been for a long time) but between the high original cost, the insane cost increases due to RAM/storage, and the price of buying a controller, it just doesn’t seem worth it. Buy a Series S or Switch 1/2 and be happier.
It's got an A15 in it currently, so 5 years old, but it still runs pretty great a lot of games that you would play are made for ipad and developers tend to assume a lag of at least three years on processors for that market (no one is buying a new ipad every year). I use my appletv with moonlight to stream off my pc and use an 8bitdo controller with it and my switch2 (8bit-do ultimate 2 wireless).
Streaming would be ideal but Apple fights that because they don’t get a crazy cut. They could do easily be THE streaming box but prices and dumb rules kill it.
I love my Apple TV but the price was already crazy.
It's my primary tv interface and while expensive it beats all the built in primary interfaces shipping in tvs today.
I don't think apple is interested in making it a gaming console, gaming has never been apples focus except when the iphone was new and they wanted to drive adoption.
t1234s · · focus · HN ↗
idle_zealot · · focus · HN ↗
MBCook · · focus · HN ↗
The Apple TV chip is currently quite old. It would be fine for much indie stuff or streaming but pales against a modern phone/iPad.
Have to buy games from the App Store meaning limited selection. Few bother because no one plays games on Apple TV. And since it’s the same as the iPhone app it’s often optimized for that even if the Apple TV was more powerful.
The other big Apple sin is Apple tried a push but (at the time, later changed) demanded games worked with the Apple TV remote only. At least for Apple Arcade. They “had to” because they’ve never sold a gamepad. Only 3rd party ones which weren’t very good.
So you have to buy games from Apple that are either super simplistic (to work well on phone) or advanced but old (RE VII), play on an old chip, on a TV while it was probably designed for a phone, and pay $70+ to Nintendo/Sony/MS to buy a good quality game pad.
Surprise. It never went anywhere.
There was a rumor that they’re going to try again with a first-party controller. If they’re smart they will just white label one from a good company. And they should absolutely push cloud gaming with PS/MS. Steam Link is a good idea.
A new Apple TH is rumored any day now (and has been for a long time) but between the high original cost, the insane cost increases due to RAM/storage, and the price of buying a controller, it just doesn’t seem worth it. Buy a Series S or Switch 1/2 and be happier.
sleepybrett · · focus · HN ↗
MBCook · · focus · HN ↗
Streaming would be ideal but Apple fights that because they don’t get a crazy cut. They could do easily be THE streaming box but prices and dumb rules kill it.
I love my Apple TV but the price was already crazy.
sleepybrett · · focus · HN ↗
I don't think apple is interested in making it a gaming console, gaming has never been apples focus except when the iphone was new and they wanted to drive adoption.