Top Apple TV Apps Revealed With Games Topping the Lists

[MacRumors]

On Friday, Apple officially launched the fourth-generation Apple TV, which for the first time included an App Store.

While Apple includes a list of featured apps, there are currently no other methods for discoverability, and users can't browse categories or Top Charts to find other Apple TV Apps that haven't been explicitly featured.

Currently, the Apple TV App Store only shows what's featured. If your game isn't featured, it effectively doesn't exist. There's no way to browse genres, top lists don't exist (this arguably might be a good thing), and finding something that isn't featured requires typing its name in the search field. Siri search doesn't work on apps (yet?) so the amount of friction to download a game like Highway Rider which didn't make the feature cut is not only incredible but also has resulted in three sales. (Well, make that four, as I bought it.)

After some digging, SlideToPlay's Jeff Scott discovered that Apple was already publishing Apple TV top lists, even if they weren't yet exposed anywhere. Scott has now compiled a realtime list of the top overall Apple TV apps as well as individual category lists for both free and paid apps.

At the time of this writing, the overall top 10 apps include:

Top 10 Paid

1 - Beat Sports (Apple TV Only)
2 - SimpleX - for Plex (Apple TV Only)
3 - Galaxy on Fire(TM) - Manticore RISING (Apple TV Only)
4 - Lumino City (+ Universal)
5 - Alto's Adventure (+ Universal)
6 - Does not Commute TV (Apple TV Only)
7 - Battle Supremacy: Evolution (+ Universal)
8 - Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions Evolved (+ Universal)
9 - Shoot The Zombirds (+ Universal)
10 - Oceanhorn (TM) (+ Universal)

Top 10 Free

1 - Rayman Adventures (Apple TV Only)
2 - Crossy Road - Endless Arcade Hopper (+ Universal)
3 - HBO NOW (+ Universal)
4 - The Nat Geo TV (+ Universal)
5 - FOX NOW (+ Universal)
6 - SHOWTIME (+ Universal)
7 - HISTORY (+ Universal)
8 - CNNgo (Apple TV Only)
9 - CBS (+ Universal)
10 - Asphalt 8: Airborne (+ Universal)

Games make up the majority of the top spots in the Top Paid listings, while media apps dominate the Top Free listings. At the moment, Jeff Scott reports there are presently 996 Apple TV apps in the App Store. The full list on SlideToPlay covers the top 200, as well as the breakdown within different categories.

Article Link: Top Apple TV Apps Revealed With Games Topping the Lists

 

[Benjamin Frost]

No browsable categories?

Does not Compute.

 

[Twimfy]

They need to sort this quickly otherwise developers aren't going to bother at all and go elsewhere.

I guess a featured only section does encourage higher production values but the visibility is so poor that an indie developer is going to drown without a 5-figure marketing budget.

 

[Tdadlani]

They need a list of media apps that do not require TV provider login

 

[newdeal]

They need a list of media apps that do not require TV provider login

TV provider login is the biggest scam going.

 

[Romy90210]

Was this product even ready for release??? or this is just another Apple pastime that wont be taken serious untill the 10th generation???

 

[Elbon]

What does "+ Universal" mean?

 

[Pagemakers]

What does "+ Universal" mean?

ATV. iPhone. iPad

 

[iwataasks]

What does "+ Universal" mean?

It means app can work on iPad/iPhone too.

...

Nice to see Geometry Wars 3 in that list.

 

[mejsric]

No Facebook?

 

[Sean7512]

As a developer with a tvOS app in the store, this is totally unacceptable. My app effectively does not exist in the store unless you search for it.

Why should I even bother? I am assuming once they add categories that they will be sorted by newest -- meaning that the launch apps will just be very far back on the list.

 

[ginkobiloba]

The aesthetic design of the new interface is beautiful, but this new aTv ( i bought it) really feels like a half-finished product. Apple seems to be releasing more and more half-finished stuff lately....

 

[Rogifan]

There was a screen shot at the September event that clearly shows top charts and category options. Maybe Apple is waiting for more apps to be available to turn it on?

I have my complaints about this device by my god it's only been on sale for a few days. I think it's silly for developers to be freaking out about discoverability after only a couple days on sale. If a month from now we still don't have a good way to search for apps then yeah complain away.

 

[Jeremy1026]

My game (Destin's Destiny) is #138 free in games. So, at least I made a list. Sadly though at a point where no one will see.

 

[Jeremy1026]

There was a screen shot at the September event that clearly shows top charts and category options. Maybe Apple is waiting for more apps to be available to turn it on?

I have my complaints about this device by my god it's only been on sale for a few days. I think it's silly for developers to be freaking out about discoverability after only a couple days on sale. If a month from now we still don't have a good way to search for apps then yeah complain away.

Part of the reason for the complaints is we worked hard to be in this first wave of apps. To get some expsoure, before we are drowned out by thousands of new apps every day. I was in the first wave of iOS apps as well, and it was an amazing time, organic downloads were rolling in. I think that a lot of the first wave tvOS developers were hoping for something similar with the tvOS App Store, a chance for an unknown developer to be seen in a pool of hundreds, instead of a pool of hundreds of thousands.

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

It seems rare that downloads come from the App Store, though. In my experience, downloads come from news being published about your app, or from you talking about your app in forums. I imagine advertising works, too, although I've never tried it.

For this to work properly, though, there needs to be an easy way to link to Apple TV apps. If I, for example, put a link to an Apple TV app in my signature, could you click on it on your iOS device or PC and then hit a button for it to be downloaded to your Apple TV?

 

[Jeremy1026]

It seems rare that downloads come from the App Store, though. In my experience, downloads come from news being published about your app, or from you talking about your app in forums. I imagine advertising works, too, although I've never tried it.

For this to work properly, though, there needs to be an easy way to link to Apple TV apps. If I, for example, put a link to an Apple TV app in my signature, could you click on it on your iOS device or PC and then hit a button for it to be downloaded to your Apple TV?

Nope! Only way to download a tvOS app is to open the App Store on your AppleTV and search for it, then download it there.

 

[nvmls]

Wow! impressive games!

/sarcasm

 

[doelcm82]

Was this product even ready for release??? or this is just another Apple pastime that wont be taken serious untill the 10th generation???

They released it, so... Yes.

 

[breather]

Air Video HD should be waaay before SimpleX

 

[MagnusVonMagnum]

Rayman Adventures must love this. Rayman Origins was already a two-bit platformer, IMO, but you can't even get THAT here. This is a watered-down smart phone game brought to AppleTV because that's the only type of game this thing can handle. For $200, I'd expect more (you know like 4K support and an actual Amazon viewer that a $39 stick has) but here it's a huge hit because it's the best this POS can do.

 

[Keane16]

Rayman Adventures must love this. Rayman Origins was already a two-bit platformer, IMO, but you can't even get THAT here. This is a watered-down smart phone game brought to AppleTV because that's the only type of game this thing can handle. For $200, I'd expect more (you know like 4K support and an actual Amazon viewer that a $39 stick has) but here it's a huge hit because it's the best this POS can do.

Up to Amazon to release an app. They currently have no news on that.

I like it so far. Nice and zippy, Siri works well. Looking forward to official Plex and a sideloaded Kodi.

 

[rdlink]

TV provider login is the biggest scam going.

The media providers (NBC, ABC, CBS, ESPN, and any number of other letter combinations) and their partner distributions channels (Comcast, DirecTV/AT&T, DISH, etc.) have a vested interest in keeping you from getting your channels easily over your choice of streaming devices. Many of the aforementioned media providers and distribution channels are owned by the same companies.

Many many years ago, before we started down the dark road of pay television broadcast television was supported by commercials. And then we got the gee whiz moment when we started being allowed to pay for television that "didn't have commercials." But as time has gone on the media companies have slowly but surely worked toward putting the commercially supported, "free" channels (or more specifically the programming from those free channels that's worth watching) out of reach of their customers. The FCC requires that broadcasters still broadcast their channels over the air for free, but they would gladly stop doing that if they could. But they can't. So instead what they have done is move so much of the content that we used to watch "for free" supported by commercials to channels that you can no longer get without subscribing.

That's why you can no longer see your home town baseball team play unless you're willing to subscribe to cable or satellite (or act illegally). Were you aware that you couldn't even watch the MLB playoffs this year unless you subscribe to cable or satellite? Up until the World Series all playoff games were on pay television. Sure, MLB would sell you a live streaming package for a fairly nominal fee. But you couldn't subscribe to it unless you have an active cable or satellite account.

Most of what I wrote above is already known to a lot of people. But until and unless people look at the historical and evolutionary nature of television versus where we are today they get no perspective on what role their actions have in the grand scheme of things.

The only way that things will get any better is if we as consumers say that we are not going to play the game anymore. I, personally recently cut the cord on my satellite package, and get my local channels over the air with an OTA DVR. I will miss my local baseball team's games next year, and that will be painful. But I will no longer support a system that wants to put a meter on things that are also supported by advertising. It's time that we, as consumers start forcing real economic lessons on the video media producers, just like we did on music labels and newsprint companies.

 

[Glassed Silver]

There was a screen shot at the September event that clearly shows top charts and category options. Maybe Apple is waiting for more apps to be available to turn it on?

I have my complaints about this device by my god it's only been on sale for a few days. I think it's silly for developers to be freaking out about discoverability after only a couple days on sale. If a month from now we still don't have a good way to search for apps then yeah complain away.

Well, whilst you think it's silly, developers freak out, because Apple, as per usual, tells people jack all.

As so often, their communication with pros and devs is subpar to put it humbly.

If I was a developer, depending on my marketing budget and how much work I've already put into my app(s), I'd be wary of pushing for a near time release, waiting for Apple to fix the lack of discoverability and going by your logic, this could easily end up in a catch 22 situation, both sides waiting for each other's turn.

The thing is, people generating cash with Apple's products have been burned time and time again, so it's easy to see why people are quick to freak out, because Apple won't tell you what's going on until you see the change you need yourself, if you ever do.

Glassed Silver:mac

PS: my personal estimation is of course, that they will add categories and maybe other needed features, but again, if anything the lack of communication is a slap in the face.

 

[federico0212]

Wait... What is wrong with the new Apple TV?

What, so the category tab is missing? Apple will add it, it's probably missing since there isn't a ton of apps. They don't even need to update for that.

I own it, it's insanely fast, insanely smooth, and leaps and bounds better than the old one.
For the love of God, I never had to do TV remote codes.... That's magical.
Siri works well, it's easier to find content across apps.

The Netflix app isn't fully baked, but that isn't Apple. And Siri cannot control music, or find any to add. That's missing.

But other than that, it streams faster, better, navigating is leaps and bounds better, and it's just so smooth.

You people groaning don't own it, and you sure as hell are part of the **** show In this world.

I own the atv 2&3 (retired the 2) and a chrome cast and a fire TV.
Chrome cast sucks (as does all miracast devices, AirPlay just rules) and the Fire TV search only does Amazon stuff, and is nowhere near as fast and smooth. The Siri controller is really the way to navigate tv. Apple nailed that.

It's a huge promising product with a lot of power. It's almost perfect right now.