14 DAY TRIAL // Apple has launched its very own gaming web site, featuring game trailers for the latest or upcoming Mac releases, Mac gaming hardware, the ability to easily find and download / buy a game for Mac, as well as extensive articles (reviews) by Apple on noteworthy titles.
Surprisingly, Apple has made no announcement whatsoever regarding the full-fledged “Games” web site, which presents visitors with six sections (tabs) - Games, Getting Started, Game Trailers, Game Hardware, Find Games, and Buy Games.
The news isn't surprising, though. Apple is known to have hired Matt Casamassina, of the IGN gaming site, as "Global Editorial Games Manager."
The site doesn’t just address the Macintosh fan base (although the site itself is mostly focused on the Mac), but also iPod touch gamers, with current game picks including Fruit Ninja, The Sims 3: Ambitions, Time Crisis 2nd Strike, Real Golf 2011, Pizza Boy, Spider-Man: Total Mayhem, and more.
iPad game picks are listed as well, with such popular titles as The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition, Puzzle Agent HD, Epic Citadel, Mirror’s Edge and others.
The Getting Started section is particularly noteworthy, as it includes guides for online gaming, digital downloads, peripherals, cheat codes, game histories, game mods and even game building tools.
“The ultimate gaming experience is right at your fingertips. The Mac delivers powerful hardware, stunning graphics, and an amazing variety of great games,” Apple states.
Apple breaks down the gaming offerings available for Mac OS X by genre, listing action, adventure, simulation, sports, and strategy among the most important types of games.
For each genre, the Mac maker has an extensive editorial which looks at some of the most popular titles in that specific category. For instance, the page dedicated to Simulation Games, takes a close look at titles like The Sims 3: World Adventures, Guitar Hero, Spore and others.
The Game Hardware tab takes customers to a page where Cupertino lists the suggested configurations for playing Mac games, as well as valuable information for “the mobile gamer” (iPod touch, iPad).
The bottom of this page is reserved for Mac Extras, which include peripherals like joypads, gaming mice and other stuff that a gamer might need to improve his / her experience.
Surprisingly, the Find Games section does not present visitors with a simple way to search for a Mac game.
However, it compensates via a lengthy list of featured games on the right side of the page, where each title has either the Intel or the Universal Binary sign in front of it, so that gamers instantly know whether or not their Mac supports that game.
Finally, the Buy Games tab sends users to the Apple online store where various Mac-supported games can be purchased on the spot.
Apple’s Games site is located here.
Update: The Apple Games web site has actually been around for a very long time, according to the person writing for the site.
Please accept our apologies for the confusion.