Exclusive: Apple will launch an official gaming joypad soon

Pocketgamer writes:

Long rumoured - and hoped for - GDC 2013 has finally provided confirmation that Apple will release its own dedicated game controller.

[bicfitness]

They have to remove those dreadful virtual controls from the screen first. That's the worst part imo. Mobile devices have these beautiful screens that are either cluttered with control schemes or half-obscured by your fingers when in use.

Unless it auto-disables the virtual UI when a controller is plugged in, its still just glorified, half-assed gaming.

[iGAM3R-VIII]

Agreed, also if this is a console not a mobile device then I highly doubt that people would buy it because Apple would be new to the console gaming era. I wouldn't never buy a console that is new. I would have to see how well it can last and the support from games. JoyPad sounds like a mobile game device. Either way I probably wouldn't buy a mobile gaming device. I would stick to the Vita, 3DS and the others but phone games and mobile games in Apples sense I wouldn't buy it

[thechosenone]

this rumor is false.
http://n4g.com/news/1222362...

[MultiConsoleGamer]

Games like GTA are unplayable with touch screen controls.

[Ninja_G_Aidan]

I found GTA3 alright with the touch screen controls. Half way through the game I am. But using a controller is definitely recommended, so much easier.

[caseh]

Bizarre, there was an article yesterday stating that Apple WOULDN'T be releasing an official joypad.

Like it matters, anyone who wanted to use a pad on Android for example simply rooted the device and grabbed a PS3 pad. I would imagine that something similar can be done with the iPhone.

[sourav93]

Actually, most new android devices don't even need to be rooted for gamepads to work. This includes devices such as the Samsung Galaxy S3, the Google Nexus 7 and many others. All you need is an OTG cable and you're sorted.

[RTheRebel]

Awesome want to see how it looks like ;)

[Prodigy-X]

No One Cares

[Noctis]

thank you for voicing our opinions we didn't know we had.

[Satish13]

Oh crap it all makes sense now. A while ago they had a patent for a controller which was a basically a Dualshock copy and nothing came of it. I was skeptic because its clearly Sony's controller. Now that Sony has moved on from that design phase of controller (Dualshock 4), Apple can go ahead with theres now. Also Mac OS X since "Snow Leopard" had default support for the Dualshock3/Sixaxis wired and through bluetooth. I guess we'll be seeing a sort of Dualshock 3 controller, but with updated ergonomics. I hope anyways.

[raytraceme]

You know what happens after? Apple sues Sony for blatently stealing their controller design for use on the ps1-ps3.

[Satish13]

No, Apple uses Sony for other things, and Sony hasn't stolen anything from Apple. They won't sue for usage. Apple doesn't really worry about hardware, they worry about design, because its integral to their product line up. When that gets copied then shit hits the fan. Apple brought the idea of Retina screens, now there are Androids with screens that are more Retina than Apples' but they're not making a fuss about it. I don't see any problems coming of this. Sony & Apple have a mutual respect for each other. They inspire each other. If anything logitech will get angry because they're the reason why PS3 release without Dualshock 3, but thankfully it was later worked out. But even that won't happen.

[TheRichterBelmont]

Merry Christmas, everyone.

[_LarZen_]

If this is true it will have a big effect on the gaming market as we know it. One may love or hate Apple but with so many millions of Apple users and games for the iDevice's this will be huge.

It will basically make a device like the iPad a more serious gaming device. And we will probably see more advanced games for it.

For fanboys and haters this is horrible, but for people all over the world that like to play it's a win.

[byeGollum]

I agree with you. I downloaded Bastion for my iPad recently, I'd love if I could play using a controller. These devices have potential. I'm looking forward to the controller.

[Baka-akaB]

I'm an iphone/ipad fan myself , and i still say " meh " .

It's still the same story : the hardware might be there , but the content isnt , at all .

No one is going to release the major core games alongside consoles and pc versions , targetting only or mostly people with an accessory .

And most games wont work or be fully playable without said accessories .

I say prepare for yet more old ports , more angry animals crap , more rails racer and shooters , and more pointless "see the incredible graphics on my ipaaad tech demo/games"

Of course i'm not denying it will sell , but still "Meh" , i follow content and titles , and there is none worth much on those devices

[rainslacker]

It's a step in the right direction, and I wouldn't be surprised if the next next-gen had a mobile console that could dock to become a home console.

I like that it opens up possibilities on the tablet(or smartphone even), because to date, controls have been the biggest barrier in that sector in gaming. Even my own projects are frustratingly annoying when it comes to control schemes.

[IcicleTrepan]

And of course the mandatory Apple joke: Will it only have one button? ;)

[monkeyfox]

They are idiots for not releasing one sooner...

[extermin8or]

"make an assualt on the console business of Sony and Microsoft"
hahahahahahaha- well for starters you missed Nintendo, and actually now steam- the only company in any position to be a threat to the big three, all Apple will do is pull across casual gamers that are new to gaming and just want a short spurt on the io or android game, any other gamer is going to have a console or pc aswell for the main bulk of their gaming. I've said it before i'll say it again- apple claim things like their ipod touch's and iphone's and ipad's result in them having biggest market share in gaming-but that isn't the case despite their skewed figure- if I use a books pages to wipe my arse that doesn't mean that author sold me toilet paper does it? Or i everyone turned their Nissan cars into boats it wouldn't mean Nissan suddenly owned the boat market... so when apple start spouting figures about how many people use apple tv to play games-everyone needs to just shrug and carry on.

[MakiSaad2]

and it will cost 539 pounds

[gamertk421]

Revealed on April 1. Huh.

[ElementX]

Only $79.99