Native Nintendo Switch controller & steering wheel support coming to iOS 16, iPadOS 16, macOS Ventura

The new Game Controller framework enables the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, Joy-Con, and some USB steering wheels to connect to systems running iPadOS 16, iOS 16, macOS Ventura natively, for the first time.

Apple announced that Nintendo Switch controllers, along with a "wide variety of new and existing game controllers," will be supported in the new Game Controller framework for new software releases announced at WWDC 2022. Specifically, Logitech steering wheels will be supported by macOS moving forward starting with macOS Ventura.

A Tweet by @rileytestut was among the first to detail the new functionality. The user remarked that the beta version of iOS 16 they were running was also able to recognize a single Nintendo Joy-Con as one controller in addition to recognizing Joy-Con as a pair.

The screenshot capture button on the controller was also recognized by the system. The tested version of iOS 16 was also able to provide the proper controller lighting to indicate player number.

AppleInsider testing has also shown that other wireless Switch controllers, plus third-party controllers originally intended for the console will also work natively with the new operating systems.

Apple operating systems already have native support for DualShock PlayStation and Xbox controllers. While there have been adapters and third-party software for Nintento controllers on the Mac in the past, the new operating systems mark the first time that Nintendo controllers get native support.

Also included in Game Controller is support for some Logitech steering wheels in macOS. Specifically, Apple says that the Logitech G920 and Logitech G29 are supported.

The new Game Controller framework is part of iOS 16, iPadOS 16, macOS Ventura, and tvOS 16. Apple is expected to launch the operating systems in September or October 2022.

8 Comments

atonaldenim 4 Years · 68 comments

About 2 years ago

Finally! Great to see Apple investing more in gaming. Nintendo might be the most Apple-like of console companies, there are doubtlessly millions of Apple users with a Switch at home. Hope this means the affordable 8bitdo wired controller will now be Mac-compatible.

CheeseFreeze 7 Years · 1340 comments

Great! Can’t wait to play some triple-A ga…. Oh wait.

mpantone 18 Years · 2254 comments

CheeseFreeze said:

Great! Can’t wait to play some triple-A ga…. Oh wait.

Sign up for GeForce NOW if you want to play Fortnite.

:p

atonaldenim said:

Nintendo might be the most Apple-like of console companies, there are doubtlessly millions of Apple users with a Switch at home.

Seeing as how Nintendo has sold over 110 million Switch units, it seems likely that some of those Switch owners have a Mac.

This allows them to use their existing Switch-compatible controllers with Mac. Well, once they upgrade to macOS Ventura.

I for one will be holding off upgrading to Ventura until April or May 2023. Apple software QA's precipitous decline started several years ago and I no longer install any of Apple's operating systems when they launch. Likewise I will stay on iOS 15 (which I just installed last month) until April or May next year.