(Posted by: Harrison Milfeld)
Mac gaming may be the butt of a lot of jokes in the video game world, but with the Apple release of Steam, it seems to be picking up at a slow pace. Apple announced today that they would open the Mac App Store on January 6, 2011. This new application is similar to what is offered on the App Store for the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. Aside from the usual games and personal applications, the service will offer apps based on education, entertainment, and productivity.
Now, Mac users might ask why this is even a big concern, given the fact that Apple.com offers a section dedicated to various apps. Well, the idea behind the new Mac App Store is to open up development for small studios to work on Mac games. To break it down, cheap games will be able to be downloaded easily, and Mac developers (who will also get 70 percent of the profit) will be able to set their own prices. The enrollment fee for developers will start at $99 and hosting, marketing, or various credit card fees are not charged against them. That alone gives Mac developers a little bit of freedom to distribute games without a sudden bit of fear or uncertainty.
As of now, there has been no word on whether or not how many games will be available at launch. For more information on the Mac App Store and if you want to develop titles for the program, click here. We'll have more about about Apple's new venture on the podcast next week and when the release date approaches.
Now, Mac users might ask why this is even a big concern, given the fact that Apple.com offers a section dedicated to various apps. Well, the idea behind the new Mac App Store is to open up development for small studios to work on Mac games. To break it down, cheap games will be able to be downloaded easily, and Mac developers (who will also get 70 percent of the profit) will be able to set their own prices. The enrollment fee for developers will start at $99 and hosting, marketing, or various credit card fees are not charged against them. That alone gives Mac developers a little bit of freedom to distribute games without a sudden bit of fear or uncertainty.
As of now, there has been no word on whether or not how many games will be available at launch. For more information on the Mac App Store and if you want to develop titles for the program, click here. We'll have more about about Apple's new venture on the podcast next week and when the release date approaches.
