What Controllers Work With Apple Arcade?

Apple Arcade supports game controllers – but which ones?

Wondering what controllers work with Apple Arcade? You’re not alone! 

Apple Arcade is Apple’s video game subscription service. However, it’s less like a Netflix for AAA console titles and more like a subscription service for casual video gamers – those of us who like to play games on our smartphones.

However, Apple Arcade isn’t only available for the iPhone. Apple Arcade also works on Apple TV, iPad, Mac, and iPod touch. In other words, one Apple Arcade subscription lets you play Apple Arcade games on all compatible Apple devices that you own.

Right now Apple Arcade has a little over 200 games, with Apple adding more each week. These games are exclusive to Apple Arcade for the most part. That is, most Apple Arcade games are not available to download or buy separately from Apple Arcade. 

This means that if you love a game on Apple Arcade, you need to keep paying for the Apple Arcade subscription if you want to keep playing the game. You cannot just buy the game itself in most cases.

Thankfully, Apple Arcade is relatively cheap. It’s only $4.99 a month or $49.99 a year. And as Apple keeps adding new games to Apple Arcade each week, the service only becomes better value for the money.

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If you are playing Apple Arcade games on an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, you’ll usually use the touch interface in the game or the Mac’s keyboard to play the game. However, you can also use dedicated game controllers with Apple Arcade games – and one is practically required if you want to play Apple Arcade games on the Apple TV.

Apple Arcade games played with game controllers give you a much more console-like experience. The games are also, arguably, easier to play with controllers instead of touch screen controls.

And that’s another important point – you can play an Apple Arcade game with a controller even if you are playing that Apple Arcade game on your iPhone. As a matter of fact, many third-party game controllers have iPhone mounts, so you can mount your iPhone to the game controller and use the iPhone as essentially a built-in screen for the game controller.

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When Apple Arcade debuted in 2019 some Apple Arcade games didn’t offer game controller support. However, now most Apple Arcade games seem to do so. That’s not to say every Apple Arcade game offers game controller support, but most do and should continue to do so.

As for what controllers work with Apple Arcade, the good news is a ton of them do. This includes Microsoft’s official Xbox controllers and Sony’s official Playstation controllers. This means that if you have these lying around at home, you can just co-opt them for your Apple Arcade gameplay.

Apple also supports a number of third-party controllers via its MFi program. The MFi program comprises accessories made for iPhone and iPad. If a game controller is MFi certified, you should be able to rest assured it will work with the iPhone and iPad – and likely the Apple TV and Mac, too.

Supported PlayStation controllers include the PlayStation DualShock 4 Wireless Controller and PlayStation 5 DualSense Wireless Controller. Supported Microsoft controllers include the Xbox Wireless Controller with Bluetooth (Model 1708), the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2, the Xbox Adaptive Controller, and the Xbox Wireless Controller Series S and Series X.

Most of these controllers connect over Bluetooth like other accessories.

And be sure to check out Is It Worth Buying An iPod Touch In 2021? And Is Apple Arcade Worth It?

Michael Grothaus

Apple expert and novelist, Michael Grothaus has been covering tech on KnowYourMobile for the best part of 10 years. Prior to this, he worked at Apple. And before that, he was a film journalist. Michael is a published author; his book Epiphany Jones was voted as one of the best novels about Hollywood by Entertainment Weekly. Michael is also a writer at other publications including VICE and Fast Company.