Free Realms Launches for Mac OS X

Free Realms, the free-to-play, online game from Sony Online Entertainment, is now available for Mac OS X, the game’s makers have announced in cooperation with TransGaming Inc., the company behind Cider, a technology that allows PC games to be enabled on Apple's Intel Macs.

Sony Online Entertainment has issued an official report in collaboration with TransGaming, announcing the release of Free Realms for the Macintosh.

“Mac users can now enjoy the family-friendly online world, integrated into synchronous gameplay on the same game servers as PC players,” the duo said. “Free Realms players on the Mac platform will experience consistent controls and functionality and will have full access to the existing Marketplace and community forums.”

The porting of Free Realms to Mac was enabled through TransGaming's Cider Portability Engine, a proprietary technology that allows PC games to run on Intel-based Macs without the need to redevelop the game from the ground-up.

Free Realms has more than 14 million registered players, according to Sony Online Entertainment. Engaged in an expansive virtual world, players customize their characters and play a wide variety of mini games in a safe, online environment with a focus on social networking.

"Free Realms offers a truly unique and captivating user experience that aligns with TransGaming's focus on bringing new massive multiplayer online games to the Mac platform," commented Vikas Gupta, CEO & President of TransGaming Inc.

"Our strategic partnership with SOE has strengthened our leadership position in the enablement of family-friendly titles for the growing Mac community and offers Mac gamers an ever-increasing catalog of outstanding video game content," added Gupta.

To play Free Realms now, Mac users can direct their web browser to www.FreeRealms.com. The game has an E10+ rating for Everyone 10 and up with content descriptors of Crude Humor and Fantasy Violence.