Is Apple Working on Video Game Controllers?

iPhone games are just good enough to be disappointing. They look great, and the open market fosters innovation we never see on consoles. But those touch controls, ammiright?! They feel like a worn-down Nintendo 64 controller smeared with gasoline. Or really, it's just like using a Nintendo 64 controller. Those things were slippery?

Like playing with a controller that was just birthed.
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But man, can you imagine playing iOS games with a controller? That had buttons? And joysticks? And, I don't know, R1? That might be the direction we're heading, as Apple has just patented tech that would allow an iPhone to support game controllers.

As you can tell, this patent is full of both technology AND gigabits.
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While Apple itself may not make a controller—something with that many buttons is probably a little too scary for your mom who just likes to poke a screen while she drools on herself—it implies Apple is designing with third party controllers in mind and is at least finally thinking about gaming. I guess then the question becomes, why didn't Apple pay attention to the biggest entertainment medium in existence until now? I mean, there's a giant video game section you can't miss almost the moment you walk into Best Buy.

Oh right. Apple already murdered Best Buy.
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It's always hard to tell where tech companies in general are headed based on their patents, but even this small sign is exciting. Come on—if Apple devices could support a controller, the console war is over. The one thing holding back iOS gaming is the lack of buttons. If someone could develop a controller, developers could release not only casual games, but every goddamn game they're ever made available on iOS. Then we can send them to our Apple TV and before we know it, Apple runs the home gaming business like they run the smartphone and tablet business. It'll be like Video Killed the Radio Star, except instead of feeling nostalgic about listening to the wireless back in '52 we feel our chest tighten up from getting three red lights and day one DLC.

The App Store came and broke your heart. Oh, oh oh oh ohh.
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Would you be stoked to see an Apple video game controller? Let me know on twitter @mikeyfromsu or in the comments below!