Amazon appears to have removed support for its gaming controller for its latest Fire TV devices after a recent update, according to AFTVnews.
The site (via Engadget) notes that after a recent software update, a Fire TV 3 won’t be able to find the controller. It also points out that the controller’s product page now says that while the device works with the Fire TV stick, it’s no longer compatible with the Fire TV with 4K Ultra HD - Pendant Design, Fire TV Edition smart TVs, or the Fire TV Cube. However, the site observed that the controller does still work with the Fire TV Cube, and predicts that that functionality might go away in the near future. Earlier generation Fire TVs will still support the device. We’ve reached out to Amazon for comment, and will update if we hear back.
The site speculates that Amazon might have dropped the controller because of the “complexity of continuing to support the proprietary WiFi-direct connection method,” that it uses, and that the company is shifting focus away from gaming for its TVs.
Amazon introduced its gaming controller back in 2014: it accompanied the company’s Fire TV set-top box that allowed users to stream services like Hulu and Netflix. The device wasn’t designed to supplant an Xbox or Playstation, but could support games that a user could play with the controller.