The DeanBeat: Apple TV fails to kill off the video game consoles

Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo can all breathe a sigh of relief. Apple had the living room video game console makers in its gun sights, but it didn’t pull the trigger. True to Steve Jobs’ legendary disdain for games, Apple stopped short of fully endorsing games on its new Apple TV product, and it didn’t load the machine up with features that would have disrupted the business of the game consoles.

Apple has typically reached for broader audiences with its living-room device, rather than target gamers. But for the first time, Apple is making a full app store easily accessible on the new Apple TV, which will start selling in October. The company highlighted its ability to display photos, run videos, play music, execute apps, and play games. The Wii-like motion-sensing Siri Remote just might enable new casual game experiences on Apple TV. But I don’t see hardcore gamers using it, and they’re the ones who spend money on hardware.