Will Macs ever be a force in gaming?

[endtherapture]

Just wondering what peoples opinions on this is.

The App store seems to be a hotbed of activity for indie developers, and I was wondering whether people thought Macs would ever be as good for haming as PCs, because frankly at the moment they suck.

They'd need gaming development to break away from DirectX as the framework for graphically intensive games, and also start selling Macs with customisable hardware at a decent price - which of course will never happen.

If PC gaming is replaced by Mac gaming though and Macs somehow replace Windows computer in the future - I think it could be the worst thing ever.

 

[Bertylicious]

In the past I'd say "no" because Steve Jobs vehemently excercised copyright control and thus caused content creators to be constrained, therefore stifling developers from creating the foundation from a technical/business point of view.

He's dead now though, so who knows?

Edit: Don't know why I quoted your post immediately below it. Pavlovian response maybe?

 

[endtherapture]

Don't worry I always quote peoples quotes immediately above me too hahahaa.

It took incredible will not to quote your post this time.

 

[Esotera]

No, the Mac platform is pretty much the most closed down out of all the major competitors, this isn't such a problem on Windows. The main factor is probably the number of users though, it makes more sense for developers to cater to the OS most people are using.

 

[Dr. Octogonopus]

PC gaming is already taking a slight beating because of the increase in console sales and piracy so I don't see why developers would spend money to develop technology so that their games will work on an OS that is currently not industry standard. Besides if you want to game on a Mac just Bootcamp. I use Snow Leopard for work and Windows 7 for gaming.

 

[Arakasi]

For the love of god can we stop refering to Microsoft as 'PC'.
Both Mac and Microsoft computers have the potential to be PCs.


OT: I don't consider it likely unless someone with a brain gets a hold of Apple.

 

[Goody]

For the love of god can we stop refering to Microsoft as 'PC'.
Both Mac and Microsoft computers have the potential to be PCs.


OT: I don't consider it likely unless someone with a brain gets a hold of Apple.

You can actually blame Apple's own advertising for the naming conventions (or at least further establishing it) with their "I'm a Mac" "And I'm a PC" adverts, thus separating the classification of Macs from PCs

 

[Tipsy Giant]

The second cloud gaming becomes the norm it won't matter what hardware you are using, so then and only then will Macs be as viable as Windows.

Although I am enjoying playing portal 2 on my mac with a xbox controller, consoles are for chumps*





*Consoles aren't for chumps, I love consoles, but not as much as money.... weeeeeeeeeee

 

[thespyisdead]

no... because a 3000 dollar pc equivalent in the mac inventory costs you 9000 dollars

 

[Random Fella]

You never know
It could be if they decided to start upgrading them, but honestly why would they, when they can sell a computer worth a third less in specs for the same price?
At the current rate I'd have to say no, but they could one day decide to branch out into gaming computers, very expensive gaming computers that run at the same speed xD

 

[Random Fella]

The second cloud gaming becomes the norm it won't matter what hardware you are using, so then and only then will Macs be as viable as Windows.

Although I am enjoying playing portal 2 on my mac with a xbox controller, consoles are for chumps*





*Consoles aren't for chumps, I love consoles, but not as much as money.... weeeeeeeeeee

You like money
But you bought a mac
hmm...

 

[loc978]

I sincerely doubt there will ever be perfect Mac OS support for all major PC releases, and there doesn't have to be. A Mac is a PC. It's quite easy to set one up to dual-boot with Windows. OSes are immaterial and easily overwritten. Hardware is the important part, and Apple hardware is all the same standard stuff you can buy anywhere.

 

[Arakasi]

For the love of god can we stop refering to Microsoft as 'PC'.
Both Mac and Microsoft computers have the potential to be PCs.


OT: I don't consider it likely unless someone with a brain gets a hold of Apple.

You can actually blame Apple's own advertising for the naming conventions (or at least further establishing it) with their "I'm a Mac" "And I'm a PC" adverts, thus separating the classification of Macs from PCs

Yeah, like we needed more evidence that those in charge of Apple are morons.

 

[BENZOOKA]

There's 257 games in Steam Store for Macs. Including great titles like HL2, Civ V, Portals, older GTAs, Bastion. There's some great indie games too, like SpaceChem, LIMBO, Amnesia, and so on. And Diablo III, just like Diablo II, is for Macs too.

But they'll continue to be a secondary market. That's for sure.

Just to make sure of my stance:
Fuck the over-simplified, overpriced, restricted... Macs, and Apple. The only things I can give them credit for, are branding and design.

 

[C2Ultima]

As someone who plays games on a Mac, I'd say maybe, but it'll really take a while. Macs have never been very big on games, so you don't buy one for gaming. I owned my MacBook pro before Steam was ported over to Mac, but then they did, then I played Portal for the first time.

 

[Thedutchjelle]

In the past I'd say "no" because Steve Jobs vehemently excercised copyright control and thus caused content creators to be constrained, therefore stifling developers from creating the foundation from a technical/business point of view.

He's dead now though, so who knows?

Edit: Don't know why I quoted your post immediately below it. Pavlovian response maybe?

But this isn't really true... sure, Apple has major control over the apple store, but you can still sell software for the Mac OS yourself without Apple's consent. You just can't put it on the Apple market thing. But you could still sell it on Steam, or just in retail.

Gaming on an Apple computer is possible - I got BF3 and Skyrim on this one installed, and it runs fine. Maybe not on UBERHIGHMEGATURBO graphics, but whatever.

 

[Rangarig]

Yes, when the distinguishing features have faded into oblivion and the choice of hardware is irrelevant to the choice of software you employ.