In 3 years, 50% of all computers capable of playing AAA games will be Macs

[Pressure]

2024 February Steam Survey puts Apple Silicon at 70.02% (-0.15%) market share on macOS.

SoC	Market share​	Change​
M1	27.36 %​	-0.68 %​
M2	15.56 %​	+0.41 %​
M1 Pro	11.33 %​	-0.28 %​
M2 Pro	4.68 %​	+0.09 %​
M1 Max	4.37 %​	-0.23 %​
M3 Pro	2.36 %​	+0.46 %​
M2 Max	2.08 %​	-0.14 %​
M3 Max	1.27 %​	+0.18 %​
M3	0.66 %​	-0.01 %​
M1 Ultra	0.22 %​	+0.01 %​
M2 Ultra	0.13 %​	+0.04 %​
Intel	29.98 %​	+0.15 %​

The first regression since the start of the Apple Silicon transition. The lack of cheap M3 machines is probably at fault, like the MacBook Air and Mac mini still being stuck on M2 series.

 

[Plutonius]

I think that it's more likely that the results are just in the margin of error (i.e. the people who were selected or decided to accept the survey).

Another possibility is the people with older Macs logging into Steam before Steam stopped supporting them in February.

 

[bousozoku]

Does the Steam Survey matter to Mac gamers?

Since Valve's own Steam Deck has pushed Linux-based machines' use above that of Macs, developers have made more attempts to modify their games somewhat for Steam Deck. They don't even go out of their way to provide executables for Linux, in most cases.

While I'd like to see more developers target Macs, it would take an all-out effort from Apple to change opinions about Mac gaming.

I want to use my Mac for everything, as I did in the 1990s.

 

[quarkysg]

While I'd like to see more developers target Macs, it would take an all-out effort from Apple to change opinions about Mac gaming.

All Apple needs to do is to get more people to buy Macs YoY.

 

[Huntn]

2024 February Steam Survey puts Apple Silicon at 70.02% (-0.15%) market share on macOS.

View attachment 2354719

SoC	Market share​	Change​
M1	27.36 %​	-0.68 %​
M2	15.56 %​	+0.41 %​
M1 Pro	11.33 %​	-0.28 %​
M2 Pro	4.68 %​	+0.09 %​
M1 Max	4.37 %​	-0.23 %​
M3 Pro	2.36 %​	+0.46 %​
M2 Max	2.08 %​	-0.14 %​
M3 Max	1.27 %​	+0.18 %​
M3	0.66 %​	-0.01 %​
M1 Ultra	0.22 %​	+0.01 %​
M2 Ultra	0.13 %​	+0.04 %​
Intel	29.98 %​	+0.15 %​

The first regression since the start of the Apple Silicon transition. The lack of cheap M3 machines is probably at fault, like the MacBook Air and Mac mini still being stuck on M2 series.

Anyone know what the Steam MacOS vs Windows % is?

 

[diamond.g]

Anyone know what the Steam MacOS vs Windows % is?

1.32% vs 96.91%

I wonder if crossover or GPTK would be making these numbers worse.

 

[MRMSFC]

1.32% vs 96.91%

I wonder if crossover or GPTK would be making these numbers worse.

Good question, I wonder how cpu and device vendor show up in the survey under crossover or gptk.


If the Steam Survey was competent, they would see “Apple Silicon” as the cpu/gpu vendor and assume that Steam is running under Crossover or gptk. And either ignore it or assign it as MacOS.

I’m not sure how that’s handled though.

 

[diamond.g]

Good question, I wonder how cpu and device vendor show up in the survey under crossover or gptk.


If the Steam Survey was competent, they would see “Apple Silicon” as the cpu/gpu vendor and assume that Steam is running under Crossover or gptk. And either ignore it or assign it as MacOS.

I’m not sure how that’s handled though.

Yeah it is weird cause the macOS number seem to keep dropping even though AS Mac numbers are going up.

 

[salamanderjuice]

Yeah it is weird cause the macOS number seem to keep dropping even though AS Mac numbers are going up.

Not really. The AS numbers are a subset of the Mac numbers. The proportion of Mac users using AS is going up amongst Mac users but the overall proportion of Mac users is going down relative to Windows and Linux. Doesn't even necessarily mean overall Mac users are dropping either, could just be a slower gain than the other two. But with Steam dropping older macOS versions and so many Mac Steam games being 32 bit it's not crazy to me if there are less Mac users overall.

 

[diamond.g]

Not really. The AS numbers are a subset of the Mac numbers. The proportion of Mac users using AS is going up amongst Mac users but the overall proportion of Mac users is going down relative to Windows and Linux. Doesn't even necessarily mean overall Mac users are dropping either, could just be a slower gain than the other two. But with Steam dropping older macOS versions and so many Mac Steam games being 32 bit it's not crazy to me if there are less Mac users overall.

It probably doesn't help that most of the high profile macOS games are in the App Store...

 

[Homy]

Good question, I wonder how cpu and device vendor show up in the survey under crossover or gptk.


If the Steam Survey was competent, they would see “Apple Silicon” as the cpu/gpu vendor and assume that Steam is running under Crossover or gptk. And either ignore it or assign it as MacOS.

I’m not sure how that’s handled though.

I once got the survey when I was running Crossover. My Mac was registered as Mac but my OS as Windows.

 

[MRMSFC]

I once got the survey when I was running Crossover. My Mac was registered as Mac but my OS as Windows.

Hm, I have to wonder how heavily that skews MacOS usage downwards then.

 

[AHDuke99]

1.32% vs 96.91%

I wonder if crossover or GPTK would be making these numbers worse.

Probably explains why Blizzard doesn't bother to patch the old games I play like SC2 and HOTS for Apple silicon.

 

[LeeW]

Hm, I have to wonder how heavily that skews MacOS usage downwards then.

Not even going to move the dial.

 

[diamond.g]

Not even going to move the dial.

Why not?

 

[bousozoku]

Not really. The AS numbers are a subset of the Mac numbers. The proportion of Mac users using AS is going up amongst Mac users but the overall proportion of Mac users is going down relative to Windows and Linux. Doesn't even necessarily mean overall Mac users are dropping either, could just be a slower gain than the other two. But with Steam dropping older macOS versions and so many Mac Steam games being 32 bit it's not crazy to me if there are less Mac users overall.

Steam Deck and the Proton compatibility layer are boosting the Linux numbers quite a lot. The System Information option doesn't seem to be quite right for my M1 MacBook Air. I haven't seen a resolution of 1440x900 for a while and the report on Steam showed Intel clock speeds.

 

[Harry Haller]

All Apple needs to do is to get more people to buy Macs YoY.

Unfortunately just the opposite is happening the last couple of years.

 

[quarkysg]

Unfortunately just the opposite is happening the last couple of years.

If that’s true, nothing Apple does will improve the situation of Mac gaming. I guess we shall see?

 

[Harry Haller]

If that’s true, nothing Apple does will improve the situation of Mac gaming. I guess we shall see?

I think it will improve, but not to the 50% figure that was supposed to occur last year. The M3 hardware raytracing might eventually lead to a 20% AAA gaming market share in a couple of years. But hardware isn't the only need. Apple needs to get serious and buy a studio or two.

 

[JouniS]

I think it will improve, but not to the 50% figure that was supposed to occur last year. The M3 hardware raytracing might eventually lead to a 20% AAA gaming market share in a couple of years. But hardware isn't the only need. Apple needs to get serious and buy a studio or two.

Buying studios is the right way if Apple wants to make a gaming console. But if Apple wants to compete with PC gaming, it needs to change its business practices.

First of all, Apple needs to tell developers well in advance what to expect from future hardware. Game development takes years, and people want to see games that take advantage of new hardware features before that hardware is replaced by even newer hardware.

Then displays. Games benefit from large displays with high refresh rates, while Apple prioritizes small displays with high resolution and high quality. Macs don't work well with some external displays, and macOS doesn't look as good as other operating systems without a retina or near-retina resolution.

And hardware configurations. Apple treats RAM and SSD as expensive upgrades with low baselines. Storage space is particularly problematic, because games tend to be big. If you buy a gaming PC today, 16 GB / 1 TB is the low-end option, comparable to consoles released a few years ago. Midrange is 32 GB / 2 TB and high end is 64 GB / 4 TB. The same holds for Macs used for gaming, regardless of which configurations Apple sells for other purposes.

Weak GPUs used to be an issue back in the Intel days, but not so much anymore. You are not going to get a high-end gaming experience on a Mac, but the GPUs are now fast enough for most people.

 

[diamond.g]

Buying studios is the right way if Apple wants to make a gaming console. But if Apple wants to compete with PC gaming, it needs to change its business practices.

First of all, Apple needs to tell developers well in advance what to expect from future hardware. Game development takes years, and people want to see games that take advantage of new hardware features before that hardware is replaced by even newer hardware.

Then displays. Games benefit from large displays with high refresh rates, while Apple prioritizes small displays with high resolution and high quality. Macs don't work well with some external displays, and macOS doesn't look as good as other operating systems without a retina or near-retina resolution.

And hardware configurations. Apple treats RAM and SSD as expensive upgrades with low baselines. Storage space is particularly problematic, because games tend to be big. If you buy a gaming PC today, 16 GB / 1 TB is the low-end option, comparable to consoles released a few years ago. Midrange is 32 GB / 2 TB and high end is 64 GB / 4 TB. The same holds for Macs used for gaming, regardless of which configurations Apple sells for other purposes.

Weak GPUs used to be an issue back in the Intel days, but not so much anymore. You are not going to get a high-end gaming experience on a Mac, but the GPUs are now fast enough for most people.

Apple should buy a developer even if they are not doing consoles. It would help make sure their platform has games.

 

[Plutonius]

Apple should buy a developer even if they are not doing consoles. It would help make sure their platform has games.

Apple's main goal is profits and they would be buying a developer at a loss in order to stimulate Mac gaming. I doubt it will happen.

 

[diamond.g]

Apple's main goal is profits and they would be buying a developer at a loss in order to stimulate Mac gaming. I doubt it will happen.

Depends on the developer and the game. I’d figure Apple would not take a loss buying Take 2 Interactive (or at least buying them and selling everything but Rockstar).

 

[bousozoku]

Unfortunately just the opposite is happening the last couple of years.

Work from Home is mostly done.

 

[Harry Haller]

Work from Home is mostly done.

Yep, that and the M1s were so good they didn’t require upgrading.
It would help if Apple would rethink their strategy of insane ram and ssd prices.
Totally bonkers.