MCV/DEVELOP News, events, research and jobs from the games industry
Apple patents that have surfaced online show a game controller similar to the PS3’s Dualshock controller.
The proposed controller would work with iOS devices such as the iPad and iPhone, as well as Apple TV.
The patent further states that the diagram showing the controller is a schematic of a video game controller for the standalone media player (Apple TV) or a video game system”, clearing showing that Apple has been toying with the idea of entering the game console market. Either that or the controller will be designed to be compatible with existing consoles. Since this is Apple, we’re betting on the former.
Apple TV itself could play the role of game console, albeit with a few tweaks. The device is already equipped to support iOS apps, so it’s only a matter of giving the user a means of controlling those game apps.
We should caution, however, that not all patents actually translate into real-world product releases, so the Apple game controller could just be an idea the company doesn’t intend to follow up on. It’s still interesting to see that Apple, who facilitated the touch-based gaming revolution, is open to adopting traditional game conventions.
Sources: Game Revolution, Free Patents Onine
Sign up for the free MCV India newsletterhere.
