When Appel launched the Apple TV 4 a few years ago, one of the main novelties was the possibility of installing video games on it and control them with the Siri Remote, with the iPhone itself or with game console-type control knobs. There were many of us who applauded Apple's decision and immediately some of the best-known iOS video games began to appear on the new platform, tvOS.
However, several years later the reality is far from what was initially thought, and despite the fact that the power of the device is more than enough to move video games «console type», few games of this type have we been able to enjoy on Apple TV . And some of those who dared have ended up abandoning the project, like Minecraft a few days ago. What is wrong with the Apple TV that does not quite convince the big video game firms? Some developers have raised the issue with some interesting possible answers.
Ryan Cash is one of the people in charge of Team Alto, developer of Alto's Adventure and Alto's Odyssey, two of the most successful video games on iOS and tvOS, and in an interview with ArsTechnica he says not be surprised by the abandonment of Minecraft, although you think it is an error:
I'm not surprised by the decision, as a game the magnitude of Minecraft shouldn't find the platform a success, but if I were up front I would have moved on. Certainly the platform is not the largest, but it continues to grow steadily, and many people are starting out in video games with it.
Aaron Fothergill of Strange Flavor says Microsoft's decision to abandon Minecraft for Apple TV is due to "political" decisions
Minecraft for Apple TV doesn't need that much support, basically they should just maintain the server, they might not even update the app for tvOS. In addition, bringing video games to Apple TV is very easy, with our video games we have not achieved millions, not even hundreds of thousands, but we have more than amortized what it cost us to adapt it to the platform.
Patrick Hogan ended the interview by assuring that if Apple wants the platform to be successful «should include a remote control in each Apple TV box, insist on the device as a video game platform and even attend the main video game fairs with its platform. With the work that has taken him to realize that Apple TV is not a mere hobby and to begin to think of it as a real business for movies and television series, it seems difficult that in the near future Apple will take another step forward with your device and bet big on video games. We'll keep waiting.
Good afternoon, I have always seen all the movies online and then I played them on TV through airplay, since the last update it is impossible to do airplay with internet movies, but no problem for my videos, photos, etc.
Since I can't find anything on the internet about it, I would like someone to tell me if the same thing happens to him and to be able to confirm if Apple has eliminated this possibility.
A greeting.
I think the most successful thing is that they allow you to choose which command the user wants, the siri remote or an mfi joystick. The price of both is practically the same and the truth is that the only reason I do not play on the Apple TV is because I would not buy a specific joystick and playing with the siri remote is very frustrating. Another option is to be a bit more open with hardware support, since leaving out the support of Bluetooth joysticks other than MFI, does not make them generate more money, if not they lose them. Consider that an Apple TV with a joystick costs practically the same as a ps4 mini and if you give me a choice, I choose the ps4 mini or a Nintendo switch. In short, the non-mobile gaming industry was never Apple's Fort, and they never wanted to propose it as a real goal.