Apple TV to Gain Game Support With Bluetooth Controllers By March

The Apple TV could be getting long-awaited game support in an upcoming software update, according to a report from iLounge. It could include Bluetooth controller support and an Apple TV-based App Store.

iLounge has heard from reliable industry sources that Apple TV will soon be getting proper game support in an update, likely to come in March or earlier. We’ve heard that developers are currently working on Bluetooth controller options, and it’s expected that games could be downloaded directly to the Apple TV rather than relying on another iOS device as an intermediary.

Turning the Apple TV into a game console-type device with an App Store has long been expected, with rumors dating back years suggesting that such a feature was in the works. MG Siegler wrote last year that Apple appeared to be moving closer to leveraging the Apple TV for television gaming.

Steve Jobs himself said an App Store for the Apple TV was a possibility "when the time is right" in an interview in 2010. Apple and third-party hardware makers recently began shipping iOS 7 game controllers for iPhones, but they have been poorly received because of build quality issues and high price tags.

iLounge has shared fairly accurate information on Apple's product plans several times in the past, suggesting it does indeed have reliable sources with access to Apple's supply chain.