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iOS 14 Supports Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 and Adaptive Controller

Unfortunately, Apple missed the ball and I doubt we’ll see console-class games anytime soon on iOS. They had their opportunity to provide solid control solutions and welcome AAA games years ago, but I think that opportunity is gone and won’t come back for awhile.

Instead we got a race-to-the-bottom with crappy IAP games and cramped touch-based controls that you can’t play for more than 15 minutes without get carpal tunnel.

A lot of people, including Apple and many on these forums, thought that was the future 5-7 years ago and that Nintendo would soon go bust. Now the Switch is a juggernaut.
 
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incoherent_1 said:
Unfortunately, Apple missed the ball and I doubt we’ll see console-class games anytime soon on iOS. They had their opportunity to provide solid control solutions and welcome AAA games years ago, but I think that opportunity is gone and won’t come back for awhile.

Instead we got a race-to-the-bottom with crappy IAP games and cramped touch-based controls that you can’t play for more than 15 minutes without get carpal tunnel.

A lot of people, including Apple and many on these forums, thought that was the future 5-7 years ago and that Nintendo would soon go bust. Now the Switch is a juggernaut.
Click to expand...

Your points contradict.

The fact that switch unexpectedly did great out of nowhere is evidence that Apple can too.
 
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cmaier said:
Your points contradict.

The fact that switch unexpectedly did great out of nowhere is evidence that Apple can too.
Click to expand...

Go sort the Switch digital store by low-to-high price and you will see pages of iOS apps ported to the Switch. I don't want to speak for the person you replied to, but Nintendo's IP and history of making great games with low end hardware maintains consumer confidence with each generation. Nintendo's missteps (Wii U, Virtual Boy, etc.) are typically of their own making.
 
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incoherent_1 said:
Unfortunately, Apple missed the ball and I doubt we’ll see console-class games anytime soon on iOS. They had their opportunity to provide solid control solutions and welcome AAA games years ago, but I think that opportunity is gone and won’t come back for awhile.

Instead we got a race-to-the-bottom with crappy IAP games and cramped touch-based controls that you can’t play for more than 15 minutes without get carpal tunnel.

A lot of people, including Apple and many on these forums, thought that was the future 5-7 years ago and that Nintendo would soon go bust. Now the Switch is a juggernaut.
Click to expand...

I think you have a point when it comes to the many IAP games, but there sure are quite a few games that don't have IAP. The problem is they are difficult to filter out in the vast App Store. Well, those games outside Apple Arcade are.

I also think you're right they could hade done the controller support efforts sooner, but it's here now (or since iOS/iPadOS/tvOS 13 and macOS Catalina to be specific) and I think this will pay off. That plus Apple's yearly (so far) silicon updates makes their devices quite capable when it comes to mobile gaming.

My son is really enjoying playing Minecraft with a controller on an iPad (works on iPhone SE too if one wants…) and there's no Switch with a 10" screen that I know of. :)
 
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star-affinity said:
I think you have a point when it comes to the many IAP games, but there sure are quite a few games that don't have IAP. The problem is they are difficult to filter out in the vast App Store. Well, those games outside Apple Arcade are.
Click to expand...

Yes, I totally agree! There are some great games, but they get buried. There are also great games that would benefit from a better control scheme. Touchscreen on my iPhone is fine for a quick 2 minute dip, but when it comes to an immersive RPG, it gets painful and tedious.

There were some controllers you could attach to your iPhone a few years ago around when I got my Switch, but they had poor marks on compatibility and reliability. Maybe they’ve improved but I moved on and couldn’t be bothered to keep checking.
 
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cmaier said:
Your points contradict.

The fact that switch unexpectedly did great out of nowhere is evidence that Apple can too.
Click to expand...
The switch did great because of the games. Mostly 1st party games. Sounds like Apple needs to buy itself a games studio and crank out some great first party titles.
 
incoherent_1 said:
Yes, I totally agree! There are some great games, but they get buried. There are also great games that would benefit from a better control scheme. Touchscreen on my iPhone is fine for a quick 2 minute dip, but when it comes to an immersive RPG, it gets painful and tedious.

There were some controllers you could attach to your iPhone a few years ago around when I got my Switch, but they had poor marks on compatibility and reliability. Maybe they’ve improved but I moved on and couldn’t be bothered to keep checking.
Click to expand...

Yeah. I wonder what happend to this:
www.slashgear.com

Apple iPhone Game-Controller Dock Patent Spotted - SlashGear

Coincidentally published on the same day as we fell for the ThinkGeek iCade, Apple have applied for a patent describing a portable gaming controller into…
www.slashgear.com www.slashgear.com

The article is from 2010.

Here's something: https://gamevice.com
 
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incoherent_1 said:
Unfortunately, Apple missed the ball and I doubt we’ll see console-class games anytime soon on iOS. They had their opportunity to provide solid control solutions and welcome AAA games years ago, but I think that opportunity is gone and won’t come back for awhile.

Instead we got a race-to-the-bottom with crappy IAP games and cramped touch-based controls that you can’t play for more than 15 minutes without get carpal tunnel.
Click to expand...

With the removal of Boot Camp and possibly 'almost good enough' virtualized Windows it makes streaming (for me, Xbox xCloud) the only remotely viable solution.

To me Apple will never recover from launching Apple Arcade (their 'flagship' gaming service) on high end hardware and then spending a long time featuring Frogger at the keynote.
 
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According to Rene Ritchman, mouse and keyboard gaming controls are now supported on iPad!!! No need to bring a controller on the go
 
4jasontv said:
I would like to introduce you to 8BitDo. You turn the controller on with start and then press A, B, X, or Y to select a pair mode. Once you pair your devices with a button you just select the mode you want when you turn the controller on and boom, no having to go into setting and repair as you move from device to device.
Click to expand...

I've tried using those controllers, they are garbage. Poorly made, over priced, and their bluetooth connectivity is inconsistent.
 
It’s about damn time. They might have kept me on Apple Arcade had the added support for the Series 2 months ago.
 
hovscorpion12 said:
If you want console games on iPad OS, our only hope are Google Stadia, MSFT X-Cloud and PS Now.
Click to expand...

www.xbox.com

Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta) with Xbox Game Pass | Xbox

Play your favorite Xbox console games on Windows PC, phones, and tablets.
www.xbox.com

Looks like xCloud is not compatible with iOS, iPadOS or macOS. The only hope was virtualising Windows or Boot Camp which is why I’m disappointed. I tried Console Streaming in Parallels on an i7 MBP 13 and it was laggier than Boot Camp.
 
Not surprising consider they already support the XB1 controller, but because they support the PS4 controller I imagine they'll support the PS5 controller too.
 
Good to see, I hope they quickly support the PS5/XBSX controllers after launch too.

If only Apple supported Vulkan natively the Mac might actually be useful for gaming.
 
I don't think Apple will EVER go after the real gaming market.

1. There's no way in hell they'll be able to match the raw power of a purpose-designed gaming PC, at least not right now
2. "Real" gamers already have a gaming PC
3. Apple has always said they leave things they're not the best at to others
4. Casual gaming and "real" gaming are very, very different

All that said, Apple may surprise us. But I think they'll stay in their casual-gaming lane.
 
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