Thoughts on Games app?

[Apple Knowledge Navigator]

Not had much luck getting it to work, but from when it has worked I can understand the potential.

Obviously it's no Steam, but in some ways that's a good thing; there isn't the same level of bloat or overhead.

 

[Sital]

Mine works fine, I just don't really see the point of it.

 

[maflynn]

Thoughts on the Games.app? Apple trying to capture lightening in a bottle, where gaming on ios is very profitable for apple, they want to see more revenue on the mac side. Gaming on computers is completely different then mobile gaming. Most people use steam, and if the games app doesn't include those games, its largely going to be useless imo

 

[Apple Knowledge Navigator]

and if the games app doesn't include those games, its largely going to be useless imo

Agreed, this was a bummer for me.

 

[Starfia]

It seems mainly like the latest continuation of a tradition of attempts to get a centralized place for games on the Mac, which started all the way back in Mountain Lion. This app (like the performance-prioritizing "Game Mode") seems to try to include installed games that didn't come from the App Store, at least.

 

[Apple Knowledge Navigator]

It seems mainly like the latest continuation of a tradition of attempts to get a centralized place for games on the Mac, which started all the way back in Mountain Lion. This app (like the performance-prioritizing "Game Mode") seems to try to include installed games that didn't come from the App Store, at least.

It hasn’t recognised any of my games from outside the App Store, which again is disappointing. I have a fair few from GOG and would have appreciated a centralised area for them.

 

[Starfia]

It hasn’t recognised any of my games from outside the App Store, which again is disappointing. I have a fair few from GOG and would have appreciated a centralised area for them.

It looks like it's including some of my GOG games and not others. (That's what I meant by "seems to try to include" – there's got to be some criterion. I imagine it's good in some way that the system can't just know whether any app is a game.)

 

[radow]

It hasn’t recognised any of my games from outside the App Store, which again is disappointing. I have a fair few from GOG and would have appreciated a centralised area for them.

Do you use the GOG app? Last time I used that I can add non-GOG games in the launcher (that's on Windows though).

To me Apple Games app, Game Center, and all these Apple gaming efforts feels uncomfortably off. They are not as friendly to developers or player community as Steam. While the basic stuff may be there, these are organized in a way that's, for a lack of a better word, "not very interesting"...

 

[Bazza1]

To date, not used. Not even opened.

 

[lapstags]

I actually buy games on Mac and subscribe to Apple Arcade so I use it. The store is okay but not better than steam but it’s a decent first attempt but Apple needs to rapidly improve it. It’s a way better experience on iPad.

 

[TumbleDryer]

I've never been a fan of the launcher app type things. It's just an extra app for no real reason. Why not just open the app you want? It's just an unnecessary extra step and probably comes with some overhead too?! Steam app can be particularly buggy as well stopping you from running a game that in itself runs perfectly fine.

Before the App Store you got a game on a disc installed it and clicked the icon to open it. Why do we need to open an app to open an app?

I have a few games on Steam now but I've always disliked that I had to have steam as an app on my system just to use the game. It's fine, it works, but I bought the game to play the game not have loads of launchers taking up space on my system and offering nothing other than a place to open games. What's wrong with the applications folder?!

At one point a few years ago I had Aspyr launcher thing, Paradox, EA, Steam, Alderon Games and a Trainz portal. All these extra apps just to launch one game each. Eventually I had enough and I uninstalled all the games and won't buy anymore if they come with extra launchers I just reluctantly have Steam for the odd game.

As for Apples Game app as soon as I saw it in my apps folder I uninstalled it. Never even opened it. More bloat I don't want and didn't ask for.

 

[maflynn]

I've never been a fan of the launcher app type things. It's just an extra app for no real reason.

Same, but then you have launchers within launchers, For instance in steam, you kick off Cities:Skylines, it doesn't start the game but the paradox launcher then you then have to initiate the game. Fallout 4 and I think Skyrim are two other examples where you have to do an extra step - not sure if that's technically a launcher or not.

 

[TumbleDryer]

Same, but then you have launchers within launchers, For instance in steam, you kick off Cities:Skylines, it doesn't start the game but the paradox launcher then you then have to initiate the game. Fallout 4 and I think Skyrim are two other examples where you have to do an extra step - not sure if that's technically a launcher or not.

That's very true. I did have Cities Skylines and Steam launched their launcher. Crazy.

 

[TumbleDryer]

That's very true. I did have Cities Skylines and Steam launched their launcher. Crazy.

Don't forget you need to update the launcher independently of the game too. Haha.

 

[jagooch]

For context, what is this games app? I entered "games.app" into Spotlight and the only app is suggested was the App Store. Repeating that search inside the App Store App returned a bunch and individual and Apple Arcade games.

I checked my Applications folder and didn't see a games app there. So I'm lost as to what app this thread is about.

But, from the posts, it sounds interesting. So, I'd like to know more!