Why Apple TV games must all use the Siri remote, but that might not last – AppleTV 4 Jailbreak (appletv4jailbreak.com)
The new Apple TV will play games, but don’t mistake it for a console.
Every game coming to the upcoming, reworked Apple TV will now need to support the odd little Siri remote as a controller, according to a recent shift in development policy.
While Apple TV games can also support third-party gamepads, they can’t require them.
Apple’s policy change appears in the current version of the an event last month.
A section in the Apple TV presentation devoted to gaming included a handful of demonstrations, like multiplayer Crossy Road and Beat Sports from Rock Band developer Harmonix. Both of those relatively simple games use the Apple-supplied remote control for interaction.
Apple designed its remote’s touchpad to function like an analog stick on modern controllers, allowing for fine-grained control. When gaming, some of its buttons become console-like A and X buttons.
The SteelSeries Nimbus
The Apple TV will support traditional game controllers, too — just as its sister platform, iOS, does for iPads and iPhones. The Apple TV’s product page even displays the SteelSeries Nimbus as the poster child for third-party controllers.
Multi-sticked and buttoned controllers are an optional add-on, however. When it goes on sale in late October, the Apple TV will ship only with Apple’s remote.
Apple also revealed at the even that, just like the Apple Watch, iPad and iPhone, the new Apple TV will support third-party apps, distributed through an App Store. As it does across all of its platforms, Apple will approve all software that appears in the Apple TV’s digital storefront. The app review process allows the company “to ensure they are reliable, perform as expected, and are free of offensive material,” according to Apple.
The idea is simple and several years old: Follow Apple’s rules, and your app will be approved. Break the rules, and Apple will reject your app.
A LIVING DOCUMENT
The new hardware opens up new possibilities for developers, who can create apps in a software ecosystem similar to iOS, the operating system for iPad and iPhone. App makers won’t be able to directly port their software to the new system, but the Apple TV’s hardware and software are based on Apple’s phones and tablets.
Shortly after the new Apple TV’s debut, Apple released the App Programming Guide for tvOS. Named for the new operating system that powers Apple TV, it’s designed to help developers create software for the hardware.
That week, a Tweet with a screenshot of a section called “You Can Require an Extended Game Controller” made its way around social media. It read as follows:
Unlike iOS apps, Apple TV apps can require the user to own a full game controller that supports the extended gamepad profile, but requiring a full game controller is highly discouraged. When you restrict an app, only gamers who already have a full game controller will see your game. However, it is still possible for your game to be launched when the full…
https://www.polygon.com/2015/10/7/9466657/why-apple-tv-games-use-siri-remote
AppleTV 4 Jailbreak (appletv4jailbreak.com)
