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Unofficial Apple TV top charts show games are off to a strong start

Unofficial Apple TV top charts show games are off to a strong start

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Early buyers of the new Apple TV set-top box can't yet browse the most popular paid and free apps directly on the device — or anywhere, for that matter. It seems Apple isn't yet ready to reveal a top-seller list for the Apple TV, which only launched on Friday. The company could be waiting for the App Store's catalog to grow a bit more before publicly surfacing which apps and games are faring best with customers. A "Top Charts" section has appeared in promotional photos on Apple's website, so it's clear the helpful section (and one that's critical for developers) is coming; the only question is when. Until that happens, an unofficial solution that reveals best-selling titles — both free and paid — has popped up in the meantime, and games are already proving popular on Apple's new set-top box.

Apple's own website confirms top charts for the Apple TV App Store are coming soon.

The list, compiled by Slide to Play, shows real-time results but is also said to be "a little unreliable." On the paid side, Harmonix's Beat Sports tops the list, with Simplex (a third-party Plex player) in second place, which should encourage Plex to move quickly getting its own app in the store. Behind those you’ve got a string of games that includes Galaxy on Fire, Lumino City, Alto’s Adventure, Does not Commute, and others.

The free chart also demonstrates the early success of games: Rayman Adentures and Crossy Road hold the top two slots, with HBO Now in third, followed by numerous TV apps including Nat Geo, Fox, Showtime, History, CNN, and CBS. Surprisingly, Netflix is way back in 32nd place on the free chart, which seems a bit odd. YouTube is one spot behind it, with Hulu doing a bit better at 23. Again, these charts aren’t "official" or being published by Apple, so their rankings may be a bit flawed in places. But until Apple rolls out its own list, it’s the best we’ve got. And it's early evidence that the success games have seen on Apple's mobile devices may be translating to the living room — and fast.