Apple is rolling out a new developer beta for tvOS 14.5 today that includes support for Xbox Series X and PS5 controllers.
Currently, Xbox One and PS4 controllers are supported on the Apple TV HD and Apple TV 4K but now their next-gen counterparts will be available… well, available to developers at least.
To access the tvOS 14.5 beta you need to be a registered developer with Apple, and you can download it onto your Apple TV using a profile that’s installed using Xcode.
Support for the controllers was recently added to the iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5 developer betas, so it makes sense that Apple’s tvOS is getting the same treatment.
Apple’s big push to get gamers on Apple Arcade
One reason Apple has gone out of its way to support third-party controllers is to get gamers to dip their toes into Apple Arcade and other mobile games from the App Store. The easier it is to try, the more likely gamers are to get the free trial.
That said, how effective that strategy has been remains a mystery: Apple has never told us how many subscribers Apple Arcade has, and it lumps the revenue together with other services in its quarterly earnings.
Admittedly, PS5 and Xbox Series X controller support likely won’t do much to get gamers to flock to the service, but it’s a kind gesture to the gaming community that could potentially see the value in Apple’s service.
Via MacRumors