Apple removes Siri Remote requirement for gaming apps in latest tvOS beta
Buried amidst an avalanche of WWDC announcements, Apple on Monday removed a stipulation in its developer resources guidelines that required tvOS games use the fourth-generation Apple TV Siri Remote as a gaming controller.
Apple informed developers of the apparent change in a modification to an existing support document covering game controller best practices. In particular, Apple has -- again -- reconsidered its posture on accessory compatibility as it pertains to tvOS.
"When designing a tvOS game, you may require the use of an MFi game controller, but where possible you should also support the Siri Remote," the document reads.
While not a complete reversal of previous App Store policies, the rewording is closer in spirit to Apple's initial tvOS app guidelines.
When tvOS debuted last year alongside Apple TV, developers were urged -- not mandated -- to build in controller support for the bundled Siri Remote. Apple later flip flopped, requiring all tvOS games offer support for the new Apple TV remote. The company did not offer an explanation on the sudden change, though it has been speculated that Apple desired a consistent user experience that afforded customer access to all tvOS apps out of the box.
With a touchpad, accelerometer and a total of five buttons (six if the volume button is counted as two separate inputs), Siri Remote proves a decent gaming controller for casual titles. The unit, however, is far from ideal for playing fast action games or titles with complex control schemes. In such cases, gamers usually opt for an MFi model styled after traditional console controllers, like AppleInsider's top pick, the SteelSeries Nimbus.
Apple's newly revised stance on tvOS game controllers is not final, and the company has indeed proven fickle on this very subject. Barring another flip flop, however, it seems MFi controller sales could be primed for a resurgence this fall.
Apple informed developers of the apparent change in a modification to an existing support document covering game controller best practices. In particular, Apple has -- again -- reconsidered its posture on accessory compatibility as it pertains to tvOS.
"When designing a tvOS game, you may require the use of an MFi game controller, but where possible you should also support the Siri Remote," the document reads.
While not a complete reversal of previous App Store policies, the rewording is closer in spirit to Apple's initial tvOS app guidelines.
When tvOS debuted last year alongside Apple TV, developers were urged -- not mandated -- to build in controller support for the bundled Siri Remote. Apple later flip flopped, requiring all tvOS games offer support for the new Apple TV remote. The company did not offer an explanation on the sudden change, though it has been speculated that Apple desired a consistent user experience that afforded customer access to all tvOS apps out of the box.
With a touchpad, accelerometer and a total of five buttons (six if the volume button is counted as two separate inputs), Siri Remote proves a decent gaming controller for casual titles. The unit, however, is far from ideal for playing fast action games or titles with complex control schemes. In such cases, gamers usually opt for an MFi model styled after traditional console controllers, like AppleInsider's top pick, the SteelSeries Nimbus.
Apple's newly revised stance on tvOS game controllers is not final, and the company has indeed proven fickle on this very subject. Barring another flip flop, however, it seems MFi controller sales could be primed for a resurgence this fall.
Comments
The downside to not having the requirement is clear with the enthusiasm for not having to support it. A lot of developers won't bother supporting the remote at all now they don't have to. So when someone buys the Apple TV box, they will find that a lot of games don't work and will be forced to spend $50-100 more on a controller.
If Apple had designed the remote slightly differently, they could get round it. All it needs is more simultaneous inputs. Just now it has 3: touchpad, button, motion. With a full surface touchpad and shoulder buttons, you get 5 inputs, which is enough for a developer to map a full controller onto. The shoulder buttons can be done with a plastic add-on to the remote like this one for the Wii:
Apple's one would be a lot less bulky. The add-on would be inexpensive and bundled with the Apple TV as the battery and chips are in the remote, the add-on just has some buttons and the lightning port on the remote would clip into it so that the shoulder buttons can send data:
This exterior can be made of matte black plastic or even a kind of rubber for comfortable holding. The left touch pad is move, the right is for looking. There can be more shoulder buttons behind or side by side. This allows move, look and action. Even in a more complex game like Far Cry where you have to steer a vehicle, look, accelerate and shoot, this would be possible. With 4 stacked shoulder buttons (L1,L2,R1,R2), you get 7 simultaneous inputs. That housing would be small enough to leave the remote in it but it would also easy enough to pop out regularly. Apple could sell remotes separately so that people can buy multiple remotes per box. I doubt the extra remotes would need to be over $49. People can buy them for using with iPads and Macs and they'd be a lot easier to transport than a standard controller.
Woot! This is LONG overdue. Now give me real GPU offerings in desktops. Starting by offering more desktop machines NOT designed around laptop parts would be a start. Even if you have to make them slightly thicker
here). "Developers forcing their own controllers," what does that mean? As long as a controller is an MFi controller, it'll work the same way as other MFi controllers - thanks to the MFi game controller standard with which *all* controllers must comply. The only decision that has been changed is the one where Apple previously required the Siri remote be supported by games, nothing else changes, except that games developers are now free to ditch the Siri remote and require a 3rd party (MFi only) game controller with their game, all of which will work the same with each particular game.This is a good thing for those of us that want more game choices (breadth and depth) on the ATV, options which may have been withheld due to game controller issues.
This rule change means developers can now require a game controller to play their game, but the only game controller we're talking about will be an MFi compatible controller. They don't get to require a non-MFi controller in order to play their game, that's not the change and that's not allowed.
The MFi standard works great, in my opinion. I was able to purchase a controller with my preferred button/joystick layout, similar to the PlayStation (my preference), whereas others may prefer the layout like the XBox controllers (perfectly reasonable), and because Apple doesn't dictate layout, there are controllers offering XBox-style joystick layout. There is flexibility but games developers are pretty much going to stick to the standard (as one expects for gameplay in a controller). If these developers require a game controller, that game controller must be MFi, so I can't understand why you're complaining.
There are games where supporting the remote is tricky like AfterPulse, which is a first person shooter:
http://www.slidetoplay.com/after-pulse-for-apple-tv/
They ended up using the remote's tilt to control movement. The above modifications to the remote would mean that the Apple TV box comes bundled with a fully capable controller so the entire game library could be played with the remote without compromising the games and without compromising the remote for TV use.
The revenues for the companies that sell the MFi controllers (GameVice, Mad-Catz, SteelSeries etc) are $30-50m so the manufacturers aren't selling more than about 300-500k units across all platforms. The Apple TV box could have sold 5-10 million units. If less than 5% of the owners have a controller then it limits the appeal of the audience for certain games. Having a fully capable controller bundled can boost that significantly.