EA move means the Mac is back for games

When Electronic Arts and Apple announced at the Worldwide Developers Conference Monday that the publishing giant would be bringing a host of its biggest-name games to the Mac, it signaled that the platform is being taken increasingly seriously by the video game industry.

EA said that it plans this summer to release hit titles like Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Need for Speed: Carbon, Battlefield 2142, and that later in the year, it would publish a series of sports games, including Madden NFL '08 and Tiger Woods PGA Tour '08 for the Mac.

The Mac has long been viewed--rightly or wrongly--by some people as a bit of an applications wasteland, and for many people who would rather use Apple's computers than Windows machines, the lack of some software has always been a major reason.

That's been especially true for video games, and the absence of many of EA's franchise titles on shelves in the Mac section of stores--though The Sims series is available--has been particularly noticeable.

But now, EA is demonstrating that it thinks Apple is going to be enough of a player that it's in its interest to put the effort into porting some of its biggest titles to the Mac.

And if you're a Mac fan, that's a good thing. Unless your Mac-only partner or spouse is going to get lost playing one of the new games.

[Datcyde]

Maybe

I'll buy one now.

[gary85739]

I think Apple is trying to get more gamers.

Their newest units are using Nvidia 8000 series video cards, a
VAST improvement!

[JadedGamer]

Aspyr

... is a company that already licenses and ports a number of of games to the Mac, especially strategy games, Sims 2 and some FPSes (ironically including Halo). The problem is that these titles are expensive simply because both the number of titles and resellers are low compared to PC games; for instance, the Mac version of Civ IV is "full price" and will probably never drop to the budget price you pay these days for the PC version.

The industry's focus on using Microsoft's DirectX instead of the more cross-platform libraries like OpenGL is also a major culprit here. It would be easier to port games if they used common interfaces. (A reason for the lack of OpenGL games - other than the Quake engine games - on PCs can also be attributed to a history of bad OpenGL drivers for that platform.)

[jpmccloud01]

To game or not GAME ALA Mac/ play station3

when it comes to gaming Mac has been the problem. The geeks
and tweeks who take a big high off of customizing their
computers have been pushed aside bye Mac and many of them
are the gameheads, as well. Mac is still the anti computer
though they are starting to change. So what if Macs have been in
use developing many games like halo. The Mac has not been the
place to put games. Now that MAC is riding a major comeback
and realizing that fighting PC's doesn't work but teasing does.
People are going to want their favorite titles of Games with their
MAC. Mac is finally saying come here gamers we want to play to
and maybe we have the goods you want to play with. It doesn't
heart that Vista is over loaded at times as well, but heres a
thought for the MAC. Vista PC's are designed to work with XBOX
360, What if MAC made a system link for SONY's
PLAYSTATION3? MAC would get a major jump and Some kodos
from the gamers out their, or what if MAC made a real GAMERS
machine? Something to rival XBOX 360, PLAYSTATION 3, or WII

[quikboy2]

Games for macs? Yuck.

While EA is making a bold move, it probaly won't last. Since most of the games are made for Windows, most of your gamers have probaly moved on to the high end gaming PC's and are using them happily. While the boring Mac folks keep on doing their boring work. Because the only reason I've found to use macs are to work with media stuff. I can't see it good for use with my daily needs. So basically, gaming was never meant for OS X.

EA will soon realize this when they have very high production costs, compared to low game sales turnout. It's just sad, really. EA is just trying to jump on the bandwagon to 'be cool'.

Don't get me wrong, I love EA! EA makes the best games (right next to Microsoft Game Studios), and I love them. But venturing into the mac market was a mistake. Later, they'll cancel it, and mac users will be dissapointed at another low turnout.

[pyrobovaphiliac]

Good call

You have a really good point, but I think titles like Spore appeal to a wider-than-average audience. EA (and possibly other studios) might learn a lesson about what games make it with the Mac crowd and which don't.

[atomicbomb156]

mac games

i prefer mac over pc by far (even though i own a pc) but i dont like playing games on comps in general. thats what gaming systems are for. a good gaming pc is normally $1,500 or more. a xbox 360 is $300-460. its not that i have anything against pc but there are too many holes and the 2 years ive had my comp ive had 10 viruses on it. twice my comp totally crashed and i had to rip out the hard drive. they do basically the same things but mac just has less software. i can deal with that. but if you talk about gaming just go with a separate system. good graphics, more games, and far cheaper.

[Llib Setag]

No Apps? No Games? BS

There are more than 23,000 APPLICATIONS FOR THE MAC PLATFORM INCLUDING GAMES...!

Stop the FUD C/NET.

http://guide.apple.com/

[eletain]

Atta go Fanboy

Yo fanboy, what part of "The Mac has long been viewed--rightly or wrongly--by SOME PEOPLE as a bit of an applications wasteland" did you not comprehend?

Retarded anagram name BTW.

[pyrobovaphiliac]

Don't be silly

It's pretty odd to deny that Mac users don't get the short end of game releases. There are some companies, such as the all-encompassing Blizzard, who are Mac-inclusive. But the vast majority just don't release to Mac. Macs have tons of great software, but if you think they have equivalent gaming then you're in denial.