Buying A Controller For tvOS

Where can I purchase a game controller for the Apple TV? More specifically, how can I tell if it will be compatible?


Thanks!

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Any standalone (i.e. wireless) MFi certified extended game controller is supported.


Two examples from our store, in no particular order:

HORI HORIPAD Wireless Gaming Controller

SteelSeries Stratus XL Wireless Gaming Controller

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Some devs have reported being able to pair certain existing controllers [https://forums.developer.apple.com/thread/17355 ]to the mac/el cap and move around the home screen in the sim, so look around - you may already own one. Otherwise, you may want to wait for the new ATV to go on sale before vendors are allowed to go public with compatible hardware, etc.

Any controller which supports Apple's extended profile will work, I bought a Mad Catz ctrli last week, it is awesome. Plus it has a clamp which holds my phone. I've been playing all kinds of iOS games with it -- arcade games are actually fun now. I gave up on touchscreen arcade games long ago, but the controller total changes things. And it works great with the Apple TV.

I bought the SteelSeries Stratus XL from the online Apple store.

It works fine, although I was quite disappointed with the fact that this controller has NO motion sensing.

This means that it is NOT a complete receplacement for a Siri Remote, which does do motion sensing.

I have a SteelSeries Stratus and SteelSeries Stratus XL bought from Amazon. The XL is the better and larger one of those two.

I'll throw in another vote for the SteelSeries XL. Bought one from an Apple Retail location the day after I got me Apple TV dev kit and it feels really nice and works well with the Apple TV.


At the retail location I went to they had to pull one out of the back, for whatever reason they didn't keep them on the store shelves. I'd check the online store to see if your local store has them in stock and maybe call before you go down to buy one.

I think the Stratus has been killed off, but for the sake of anyone who runs across old stock, pass on it. I bought one shortly after they came out and it's been immensely frustrating. Even on the newest (but not particularly recent) firmware, it occasionally goes into a funky state where the buttons get "randomized" such that pressing "A" might suddenly trigger a "D Pad Down" action, the right shoulder actually delivers a press of "X", etc. Nothing short of a disconnect and re-pair seems to reliably correct it. I initially thought this was an iOS 7 bug, but the fact that it exists even now on tvOS tells me I just need to be looking for a better controller.

Any standalone (i.e. wireless) MFi certified extended game controller is supported.


Two examples from our store, in no particular order:

HORI HORIPAD Wireless Gaming Controller

SteelSeries Stratus XL Wireless Gaming Controller