Apple TV games must use the remote — no controller-only games allowed

If you were thinking that Apple TV could steal triple-A gaming away from consoles, you might want to think again.

Apple TV games must work with the standard remote for the platform, which includes a clickable touch-sensitive surface with gyroscopre controls, discovered by a developer as reported on Touch Arcade. This means that designer can’t make games for the Apple TV that require the use of MFi controllers that include more standard configurations like buttons and analog sticks — unless they also support the box’s remote.

It’s a sign that while Apple hopes to replicate the success of its mobile gaming business on Apple TV with casual games, it’s not interested in going into direct competition with Sony or Microsoft. The mobile market, which supports external controllers but largely appeals to players who use touchscreens, could be worth $30 billion in 2015, according to market research firm Newzoo.

Those controllers can still be compatible, but no one can make a game that forces someone to buy one. This will limit the capability for developers to simply port over games designed for traditional platforms, since they’d have to find a way to make them work with the Apple TV remote, which has fewer inputs than a PlayStation 4 or Xbox One controller.

Apple likely sees this as a way to ensure that consumers don’t become frustrated by buying games and discovering that they don’t have the right controller to play them.