Rumor: Next Apple TV Will Also Be A Gaming Console

[Fanghawk]

Rumor: Next Apple TV Will Also Be A Gaming Console

The Apple TV 4 may not just be a streaming device - it could be a gaming console with its own App Store.

All things considered, the <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/tag/view/apple%20tv?os=apple+tv>Apple TV is a pretty slick device. It streams iTunes content directly to your television, supports services like <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/tag/view/netflix>Netflix or Crackle, and connects wirelessly to most Apple devices in your home. The only living room entertainment it doesn't provide is gaming, but some suspect that's about to change. According to anonymous sources, the Apple TV 4 will double as a gaming console, offering games through an online store while supporting Bluetooth game controllers.

The information comes from 9to5Mac, who says the latest Apple TV will be the first which supports living room gaming. Its built-in App Store will offer games alongside downloadable video channels, each playable with the updated Apple Remote or a third-party controller. The remote itself will include tactile buttons, a touchscreen interface, and motion sensors. This certainly opens the door for gameplay like aiming directly at a monitor in shooters, or treating the remote like a steering wheel for racing games.

These are still technically rumors until they're confirmed by Apple itself, but they wouldn't be surprising if true. The Apple TV 4 is getting a significant hardware upgrade compared to previous models, which seems pretty extensive for <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/tag/view/siri>Siri integration alone. On top of that, Apple's digital gaming model is already a resounding success on mobile platforms. With more living rooms connecting to the internet every day, it's a great opportunity to slip gaming into the current Apple TV framework.

The real questions are (a) what games will launch on the Apple TV, and (b) will it support pre-existing App Store titles? That remains to be seen, but with a surprisingly reasonable max price of $200, the Apple TV just might be able to compete with the likes of Microsoft, Sony, or Nintendo. We'll find out during Apple's San Francisco event on Sept. 9.

Source: 9To5Mac

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[Samtemdo8_v1legacy]

So the iPlay is real, expect the console to have nothing but Angry Birds on its digital app store.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTqytgA71yc

 

[Steve the Pocket]

And it only took the Ouya and the Fire TV to do it first before the Great Innovators decided it was a good idea.

Still waiting for a touchscreen MacBook Air, guys.

 

[Rad Party God]

Eh, why not?, honestly I'm surprised Apple hasn't released their own "Ouya" or something like that.

 

[SonOfVoorhees]

How can they compete with Sony/MS/Nintendo when they will release a new verison every year?

 

[Parasondox]

So it will be overpriced and have restrictions from here to mars? Gotcha.

 

[Laughing Man]

The real questions are (a) what games will launch on the Apple TV, and (b) will it support pre-existing App Store titles? That remains to be seen, but with a surprisingly reasonable max price of $200, the Apple TV just might be able to compete with the likes of Microsoft, Sony, or Nintendo.

$200, or £100 give or take for the UK and given that EVERY Apple product is way over priced for what you actually get (the Apple premium) and given that both the PS4 and Xbone retail for nearly 3 times the price, I am guessing that no no apple isn't going to be competing with either of those companies. The PS4 and XBone are gaming consoles that just happen to do media interfacing stuff (despite what MS would like you to think) the Apple device will be a media interfacing device that just happens to play games and given the price and expected hardware chances are it will be whatever is on the App store, you know the stuff designed for tablets and mobile phones, the kind of stuff you look at and go who the living fuck is wanting to play this crap on their TV?

And it only took the Ouya and the Fire TV to do it first before the Great Innovators decided it was a good idea.

The failure of the Ouya would suggest that it isn't a good idea. Mind you the Ouya was a piece of cheap hardware that was actually cheap to buy and had no loyal fan base, the Apple product will be a piece of cheap hardware that is expesnive to buy and will be a sure fire thing for the loyal slobbering fans of Apple.

 

[Hairless Mammoth]

If they are trying to branch out, Apple would be smart to just let others make new games (and ports/patches for older iOS games) for the new hardware. One of the reasons iOS is popular with devs is there isn't 1000s of different hardware configurations to worry about. That would probably be the main theoretical advantage this would have over the Android set-tops.

That's the best route I can think of. They shoudn't follow Amazon, Ouya or others that invested in exclusive titles. (Apple doesn't even need them to make sales anyway.)

I'm still getting a slight whiff of the Pippin from this rumor. (Except if this rumored Pippin fails, the consumer at least still has a decent, if somewhat pricey, streaming box.)

And it only took the Ouya and the Fire TV to do it first before the Great Innovators decided it was a good idea.

Still waiting for a touchscreen MacBook Air, guys.

A touchscreen Macbook would be nice for a lot of people. (I might even grab one if I become filthy rich if/when they exist) But don't hold your breath on it. Apple said this [http://www.cnet.com/news/touch-screen-mac-unlikely-says-apples-federighi/] last year. Also, the big rumor circulating the net for years is Apple doesn't want touchscreen Macbooks competing with iPad sales.

And I, too, bet if they finally do make a touchscreen laptop, their pretentious commercials will try to claim that they thought of it (and any gesture controls) first.