Get Ready for a New Gaming Console... Maybe.

By Aragrist — February 10, 2011
Tags: apple apple-games apple-tv atvgames atvthunder

Apple may be planning to enter the console market with their Apple TV turning it into a streaming gaming console.

I heard from MacRumors that some one has found code in the newest 4.3 Beta build of iOS that make several references to something called "ATVGames" and "ATVThunder" that point to a controller of some sort. It also suggests leaderboards, multiplayer game scheduling and an Apple TV App Store.

Some are comparing its streaming gaming platform as similar to OnLive another streaming game service where games are streamed to you rather than stored locally on your device.

With what's been seen running on the new iOS gaming wise and the fact that the hardware is the same as that running in the iphone 4 and iPad, the Apple TV should be able to put out some really good games with visuals matching and even surpassing the Wii. Don't expect massive RPG's with lots of high end 1080p graphics but you should get some really nice 720p visuals.

The bigger question is how are you supposed to play games on a system that has no real control? I have an Apple TV and the remote may be able to be used as simple directional controller but it lacks a lot of what we are used to in a controller. I suppose if you used your iPod touch, iPhone or iPad as a controller you could costumize the controls for every game. But how about a stadard controller? It wouldn't be hard or expensive to simply release a gaming remote for the device and even link more than one to the Apple TV for multiplayer games.

iPad games should be able to make a direct jump to the Apple TV given they already have a higher resolution. But once again the controller for those games would have to mirror the touch screen of the iPad to make them playable. They could release a Wii-like controller to allow touch-like gestures on your tv but that would also require another sensor bar so I doubt they will go for that.

My guess is that if you have a touch iphon or ipad you will have access to games on the Apple TV when and if it goes console. $99 bucks for a console isnt bad either.

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Get Ready for a New Gaming Console... Maybe.

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