'BioShock' and 'BioShock 2' for Mac on Sale for $9.99 Until September 3

[AppleMark]

I few months ago, it was revealed that Apple is adding bluetooth gam controller support to iOS and Mac. That theoretically could be the start of Apple's initiative to make Macs better for gaming.

Sure, but I have used Mac since 1996 and never actively sort out a Mac game since bootcamp. They are often over priced and often poorly ported. This is why I mention numbers and profits. The games are argued to be more expensive on a Mac because of lower distribution verses the PC counterpart.

Unless the games are going to be priced the same as PC, Apple cannot compete. For the sake of a basic windows OS on bootcamp and there is no point, as you will need a high spec Mac to play anything decent anyway.

I believe that Apple will focus on an integrated and improved iOS gaming platform when it finally get the TV working.., and will rule in that sector.

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LOL What? (and I say that as an MBA who has been managing tech products for 30 years )

Putting a couple of engineers on OpenGL is hardly a major investment. They actually do invest in the Mac business, and improving a feature that would increase sales by 1-2% might actually be justified.

My answer to that is similar to the one answered above and that working on OpenGL, Solves only part of the problem. The problem lies elsewhere in the marketing strategy.

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Sure, but games this days are a lot more than just kids toys and a lot of grown men (and women to) plays one from time to time. It's not huge like phone market, but gaming industry is big at the moment. I Belive that Call of duty beats movie and music industry every year for last 4 years.

Giving that macs are not really all that hot on the market, every bit helps i belive.

Maybe. But I still feel Apple cannot compete in the gaming markets for the reasons I have outlined.

They have had intel for how long now? They have Mac's that can go head to head with half decent gaming PC's (or at least mine meets spec in bootcamp) .Also a steam type delivery service in the App Store and look where they are?

 

[cajun67]

Buy the first one

Bioshock 1 is one of my all-time favorite games. I can't recommend it highly enough. It's a very well thought through, very balanced, very polished game. I've played it through at least three times.

Bioshock 2 was created by a different studio within the same company, and doesn't really satisfy like the first. It feels like a cheap imitation. I can't really recommend it.

 

[macnisse]

Looks fun! How do these games run on a mba? Benchmarks?

Just found this thread:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1594690/

 

[blkjedi954]

Good price for two excellent games.

BioShock 1 and BioShock infinite are excellent games made by the same studio. BioShock 2, however took around turn and got lost...lol. It stinks!

 

[cmichaelb]

Apple cannot and do not need to compete in this market. It is about numbers and profits.

They cannot compete with PS3/4 or Xbox for the armchair convenience and they cannot compete against the PC for volume of users and therefore profits.

Unlike iOS where Apple is quite dominant and is making overwhelming profits, it is not in it's best interest right now.

However they will probably push gaming through future iOS integration with the "Apple Television" and stand alone ATV, which will see an increase in gaming power over current handheld iOS devices. Well they will if they are smart enough to exploit that market, which they probably are..

Apparently they are starting to exploit that market with their new 'Made for iPhone' game controller program.

I can see the potential here. Your console travels with you in your pocket anywhere you go and airplay to your tv. The phone becomes nothing but a controller and maybe an auxiliary screen.

 

[SmileyDude]

This is a tough decision to make, IMO -- I could go for the Steam purchase (catch it when it goes on sale again, not the current price) and boot to Windows to play it and possibly get a Mac version at some point in the future. Or get the App Store version, and then it can be shared with my son as well. Personally, I would rather have the Steam version -- if there are issues with the App Store version, I can't just install it in Boot Camp instead. But without a Mac version in Steam, it's less likely that I'll get around to playing it.

Is there any place where you can purchase Bioshock and Bioshock 2 with both a PC and Mac version currently?

 

[mrat93]

This is a tough decision to make, IMO -- I could go for the Steam purchase (catch it when it goes on sale again, not the current price) and boot to Windows to play it and possibly get a Mac version at some point in the future. Or get the App Store version, and then it can be shared with my son as well. Personally, I would rather have the Steam version -- if there are issues with the App Store version, I can't just install it in Boot Camp instead. But without a Mac version in Steam, it's less likely that I'll get around to playing it.

Is there any place where you can purchase Bioshock and Bioshock 2 with both a PC and Mac version currently?

I don't believe that there is a cross-platform solution at the moment. However, I think Bioshock 1+2 for Steam (Windows only) can be bought from Amazon now for $5 total.