Confirmation of the move has been made via documentation made available to iOS developers that details the specification of the controllers the API will support.
The idea is, by unifying the basic layout and functionality of the controllers, developers implementing the API can be confident that any licensed controller will work seamlessly in play.
Unified approach
As rumoured earlier in the day, however, games that make use of the game controller API will also have to ensure gamers can play them with touchscreen controls too.
The advised control layouts themselves as seen in images below leaked from the document earlier today will come in three forms: both standard and extended 'form-fitting' controllers that hug the device's shell, and wirelessly connected stand alone gamepads.
The form-fitting controller
Nevertheless, Apple warns developers in the document that, despite these guides, different manufacturers may choose to alter the physical layouts of their controllers.
The wireless control pad
This won't make any difference to how it interacts with the API, however, with predefined inputs the pad must support ensuring they all work in the same way.
Apple notes that the documentation is not yet final, and changes may be made in the future without notice. Registered iOS developers can read the documentation in full here.
