When it comes to rumors, some of them seem more plausible than others. At least at face value. Whether or not Apple is working towards a future where there’s a video game console with the company’s logo on it may be on shaky legs right out of the gate.
It’s 2021 and here we are, fielding a rumor out of Asia that Apple may be developing a Nintendo Switch-like video game console. The initial rumor comes from a post published on a Korean forum, which was shared by Twitter user @FrontTron (via MacRumors). The post says Apple is working on a portable hybrid video game console, which would be a sort of return to form. But, we’ll get to that later.
First up, the rumor itself. The poster says Apple is going to develop an entirely new processor for this video game console, straying away from the A- or M-series chips. The goal is enhanced GPU performance, with the chip designed specifically for gaming. It will apparently offer improved ray tracing, too. If that sounds familiar, it’s because ray tracing is a huge feature for current-generation consoles from Sony and Microsoft — not so much Nintendo, though.
What about the games? Well, Apple’s supposedly talking to companies like Ubisoft to develop titles for the console. Which is a little strange, because that sounds like Apple’s trying to secure exclusives even before the console is on the market. It’s not completely unheard of, of course, console and PC store exclusives exist, so Apple wouldn’t be doing anything different, really.
No word on when this product would see the light of day, though. Apple has been infrequently rumored to be launching something like this for years, but nothing has actually come of it as of yet. Maybe that will change in the near future, finally.
But also:
A blast from the past
Apple has actually launched a video game console before. Way back in 1996 the company launched what it called the Apple Bandai Pippin. However, that wasn’t a successful venture for the company. When Steve Jobs returned to the fold, the product was cancelled.
But wait, there’s more
Back in April of last year, there was a rumor Apple was developing a video game controller that would be specifically meant for the new Apple TV. But, the new Apple TV 4K didn’t launch with a new video game controller (it did welcome a new Siri Remote, though). So, it’s possible that new video game controller is still in the works, but for a video game console of some sorts.
Maybe! Or maybe not. It would be interesting to see a video game console with an Apple logo on it that not only offers games from franchise like Call of Duty, but also Apple Arcade.