Apple is releasing a new Developer Beta for tvOS 14.5 today that includes support for Xbox Series X and PS5 controllers. Xbox One and PS4 controllers currently support Apple TV HD and Apple TV 4K, but now their next-gen counterparts will be available... well, at least available to developers. To access the tvOS 14.5 beta, you must be a registered developer with Apple and can download it to your Apple TV using a profile installed using Xcode. Controller support was recently added to the developer betas of iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5, so it makes sense that Apple's tvOS would get the same treatment.
Apple's big push to attract gamers to Apple Arcade
One of the reasons Apple has made an effort to support third-party controllers is to get gamers immersed in Apple Arcade and other mobile games on the App Store. The easier it is to try, the more likely players are to get the free trial. That said, the effectiveness of this strategy remains a mystery: Apple never told us how many subscribers Apple Arcade has, and it adds revenue with other services in its quarterly results. Of course, support for PS5 and Xbox Series X controllers probably won't do much to entice gamers to flock to the service, but it's a nice gesture to the gaming community that might see value in Apple's service. Via MacRumors