Gaming Updates: RidePods is the first iPhone game you control with AirPods

Source:

https://www.theverge.com/news/787396/ride-pods-race-with-head-apple-airpods-spatial-audio-motion-controls

ChatGPT:

Developer Ali Tanis has introduced RidePods – Race with Head, the first iOS and iPadOS game controlled entirely through Apple’s AirPods. Instead of swiping the screen or tilting the phone, players steer a motorcycle through oncoming traffic by tilting their heads while wearing AirPods that support Spatial Audio, such as AirPods Pro, AirPods Max, and the 3rd and 4th generation AirPods. These models use built-in gyroscopes and accelerometers to track head movements, which the game repurposes for controls.

Although Tanis reverse-engineered Spatial Audio to make the game work, Apple already allows developers access to headphone motion data for other applications, like fitness tracking. Early tests show the controls feel more natural and responsive than expected, with the bike reacting smoothly even to subtle head shifts. Players can also use just one AirPod, or turn off Automatic Head/Ear Detection to transform an earbud into a handheld motion controller for extra challenge.

Gameplay, however, remains limited. The racing occurs on a perfectly straight road, with occasional graphical glitches such as disappearing terrain. The app includes optional settings to control acceleration and braking by nodding or tilting, but these appear inconsistent. Players can switch between first- and third-person perspectives, and even record gameplay clips paired with a selfie video for sharing.

While RidePods feels more like a tech demo than a polished game, it demonstrates the potential of AirPods as motion-based controllers for mobile gaming. The concept hints at possibilities for hands-free gaming experiences far beyond racing, with the developer joking that even a head-gesture-controlled version of Solitaire could be a fun future use case.

Opinion:

Cool concept. 

Curious to see where this goes.

Imagine a Dance Dance Revolution spin-off where you just whip your head around violently.