Has Steve Jobs ever given an Official Comment about Macs and Gaming?

[Piggie]

I'm just wondering, has there ever been an official comment made by Steve as to his attitude/views on Gaming on the Mac ?

Way way back when I had my Atari 8-Bit and the Apple II was out (the early days) I recall seeing many games for the Apple machine.

From memory I don't recall and special graphics chips back then like what was put into the Atari by it's designer and then followed onto the Amiga.

Apple and it's Mac went all WIMP and small box business like and I must admit I lost track (mentally) or what Apple were doing, as the Atari ST / Commodore Amiga came out which were a lot cheaper and for me a lot more exciting machines at the time.

Since then Apple and Gaming has seen to be a "chicken and egg" problem.

Games developers never really wrote much as games did not run well, and as there were not many games, then Apple never really went out of it's way to support them with "gaming hardware"

I may be wrong there, but that's history really anyway.

I'm just wondering what Steve's official line is now, esp as we have Steam making an effort at last.

Does Steve just believe Games are not important for the Mac and people should use consoles to play games with.

Or people should just be happy with the hardware the Mac's offer and never ask for more?

Or will he decide with Steam coming, it's about time Apple shook off the past and really went for the high end gaming market.

Perhaps it's all too late?

Anyone know of any official views?

 

[iMacdude313]

Does Steve just believe Games are not important for the Mac and people should use consoles to play games with.

I firmly believe that. And if you really think about it, why would they start supporting the gaming industry? Aside from the Mac Pro, the only thing a regular consumer can upgrade is the memory (and the hard drive but that won't make a difference for gaming). PC gamers can constantly upgrade graphics and sound cards to meet the demand for bigger and better games. With Macs you can't do that, so if you were to buy a game now, 6 months down the road your machine wouldn't meet the system requirements to play that new game.

Ya digg?

 

[Btom]

Actually, you could write him an email and ask all these questions!
His email address was mentioned on this forum, somewhere....

Tom B.

 

[cocky jeremy]

I firmly believe that. And if you really think about it, why would they start supporting the gaming industry? Aside from the Mac Pro, the only thing a regular consumer can upgrade is the memory (and the hard drive but that won't make a difference for gaming). PC gamers can constantly upgrade graphics and sound cards to meet the demand for bigger and better games. With Macs you can't do that, so if you were to buy a game now, 6 months down the road your machine wouldn't meet the system requirements to play that new game.

Ya digg?

Exactly. Gaming on a computer is stupid. Extremely expensive when you can just go buy a console for $200-400.

 

[Piggie]

I firmly believe that. And if you really think about it, why would they start supporting the gaming industry? Aside from the Mac Pro, the only thing a regular consumer can upgrade is the memory (and the hard drive but that won't make a difference for gaming). PC gamers can constantly upgrade graphics and sound cards to meet the demand for bigger and better games. With Macs you can't do that, so if you were to buy a game now, 6 months down the road your machine wouldn't meet the system requirements to play that new game.

Ya digg?

Well, I don't really agree with that.

The scenario you paint was indeed true 10 ish years ago but in recent years that has slowed right down and a PC of a number of years old can still quite well play the most recent games very well.

All you need do is bring out something not the very top end, but in the top league and it would allow high end games to be played on it for many years to come, perhaps two Mac generations before you would feel the need to upgrade.

I am hoping not to get bogged down with the typical

It should not be done this way as Apple don't do it this way type of replies which get very tiring.

 

[Piggie]

Exactly. Gaming on a computer is stupid. Extremely expensive when you can just go buy a console for $200-400.

So everyone who plates games on a PC or a Mac is stupid?

What about the many games and types of games that are not on consoles?

Not everyone enjoys the first person shoot em ups and car racing which dominates the console scene.

 

[Beaverman3001]

Exactly. Gaming on a computer is stupid. Extremely expensive when you can just go buy a console for $200-400.

Except many game types don't work properly on a console with a controller input. 200-400$ for a console plus 60$ for a new game is hardly cheaper then computer gaming.

 

[iMacdude313]

Well obviously not literally every 6 months but you get the picture I'm trying to paint. Plus, as a gamer, wouldn't you want to be playing those games at it's highest settings? Nobody plays a Playstation game when they could be playing a PS3 game (aside from the nostalgic standpoint which btw really isn't valid for this arguement). It's like watching porn on an iPod when you have the chance of watching it on an HDTV.

What about the many games and types of games that are not on consoles?

Not everyone enjoys the first person shoot em ups and car racing which dominates the console scene.

Granted there are games on PC or Mac that a console doesn't have, the types (genres) are on computer games and consoles. Might I ask what games dominates the computer gaming scene? I'd imagine FPS and racing.

Except many game types don't work properly on a console with a controller input. 200-400$ for a console plus 60$ for a new game is hardly cheaper then computer gaming.

Might I ask what you mean by this? I'm assuming your looking from the FPS standpoint and are talking about the accuracy of gaming with a mouse? Or possibly a car fanatic playing a racing game with a steering wheel? Either way, FPS's on a console have proved controllers are very capable of working properly. Case and point Call of Duty and Halo. As for the steering wheel, there are handfuls of third party wheels available to the console gaming market.

BTW, $200-350 for a console. You say it's hardly cheaper? Hell, if its cheaper than it's cheaper.

And don't forget the option of flashing a 360 drive, which allows for the playing of burned games. So $200 to buy a 360 and pay $50 to have somebody properly flash it. Total investment $250 and you have an unlimited amount of games.

Ya Digg?

 

[cocky jeremy]

Except many game types don't work properly on a console with a controller input. 200-400$ for a console plus 60$ for a new game is hardly cheaper then computer gaming.

$200-400 for a new console every 5-10 years is cheaper than a new $2000+ computer every 2-4 years. Games on consoles and computer are about the same price, so that part doesn't really matter.

 

[Eduardo1971]

Actually, you could write him an email and ask all these questions!
His email address was mentioned on this forum, somewhere....

Tom B.

Exactly.

 

[Hrududu]

Back in the very late 1990's and early 2000's he was all about bringing gaming back to the Macintosh. Since then, things have changed drastically.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwBY2Vft7wY&feature=related

 

[leftywamumonkey]

$200-400 for a new console every 5-10 years is cheaper than a new $2000+ computer every 2-4 years. Games on consoles and computer are about the same price, so that part doesn't really matter.

How did you input that S in your signature. I would love to know.

 

[Thezez]

I have a MacAddict magazine from the late 90's somewhere that had an interview with him all about Mac Gaming. From what I recall, he seemed pretty serious.

I remember that magazine had a preview of this new Mac OS exclusive game from Bungie called Halo.

 

[iMacdude313]

I have a MacAddict magazine from the late 90's somewhere that had an interview with him all about Mac Gaming. From what I recall, he seemed pretty serious.

I remember that magazine had a preview of this new Mac OS exclusive game from Bungie called Halo.

Are you sh*tting me? Man, you gotta dig that magazine up and take some picts, I don't know if I can believe you!

If Apple would have had the same success as Microsoft has had with Halo, I'd say PC's would be the minority now instead.

Ya Digg?

 

[Piggie]

Back in the very late 1990's and early 2000's he was all about bringing gaming back to the Macintosh. Since then, things have changed drastically.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwBY2Vft7wY&feature=related

OMG, that video almost bought a tear to my eye.

That's exactly what I'd love (and I'm sure many would also) love to hear now.

And I can only imagine what THAT Steve Jobs would think if he could have looked forward 10/11 years to see him and his "Killer" Mac now.

When did it al go wrong?

I guess it's the iProducts that have screwed up Apple's Focus on it's roots.

Yes, they are successful, yes they are great for shareholder, yes everyone has made a lot of iMoney.

It's just so very very sad watching that Video that Steve seems to be happy with his Mac's just bumbling along in the mediocre arena as opposed to competing for PC's for the enthusiast.

I guess many may say well, but a PowerMac then, but we are talking way WAY high end pricing then.

I feel quite sad watching that Video as it seems a golden age for the Mac.