WWDC 2025 Provides an abundance of features; disregard the Apple Intelligence talk, let's switch gears to the gaming scene instead.
Numbers Don't Lie: Apple's 2025 Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) is nearly here, and it's shaping up to be a game-changer for the tech titan. Rumors abound that Apple has some major overhauls planned for its operating systems, including iOS, iPadOS, macOS, WatchOS, and even tvOS. And, if you're a Mac Gamer (like yours truly and the one and only Whoopi Goldberg), you're sure to be keeping a close eye on WWDC for some serious gaming news.
Time to Level Up
Historically, Apple hasn't held gaming in high regard. As John Carmack, one of the creators of Doom and Quake, put it, Apple co-founder Steve Jobs "didn't think very highly of games." This anti-gaming sentiment resulted in decades of neglect when it came to supporting games on the Mac. But all that changed at WWDC in 2023 when Apple unveiled the Game Porting ToolKit (GPT) - a software tool designed to assist developers in creating Mac versions of their PC games. While the initial release of GPT brought a handful of AAA titles to the Mac, such as Assassin's Creed Shadows, Control, Death Stranding, and multiple Resident Evil games, there's still room for improvement.
My Wishlist for Mac Gamers
- More Muscle: Even the best Macbooks and Macs have struggled to handle modern 3D graphics, limiting the gaming experience for many Mac users. To expand the audience for new Mac games, Apple needs to bring real gaming power to more Mac models.
- Developer Friends: The Mac operating system (macOS) relies on Metal to handle 3D graphics in games, whereas PC games typically use Microsoft's DirectX graphics software. apple could make things easier for game developers by continuing to update and improve the Game Porting Toolkit or even acquiring Codeweavers, the developer of CrossOver, a software that helps Windows games run smoothly on Macs.
- App Store Freedom: At the moment, many Mac games are exclusively available through Apple's Mac App Store, which can lead to duplicated costs for gamers who already own the PC version of a game. Apple needs to give developers more freedom to sell their Mac games outside the Mac App Store, which would undoubtedly be appreciated by Mac gamers worldwide.
- Revamp Apple Arcade: Apple Arcade was supposed to be a gaming alternative to services like Microsoft's Game Pass, but it's currently lacking when it comes to A-list titles. To make Mac a genuine gaming platform, Apple needs to work more closely with game developers to bring heavyweight titles to Apple Arcade.
With WWDC around the corner, let's keep our fingers crossed for some major game announcements and updates that will take Mac gaming to the next level! 🎮💻🎉
- As technology continues to evolve, it would be thrilling to witness an enhancement in the computing power of laptops, particularly for Mac devices, to accommodate more demanding gaming needs.
- To foster a stronger connection between the gaming community and Mac users, collaboration with software developers like Codeweavers could ensure a seamless gaming experience, making it possible for popular Windows games to run efficiently on Macs.
- Expanding the variety of games available on Apple Arcade, focusing on A-list titles usually found on other platforms like Microsoft's Game Pass, could significantly boost Mac's presence in the realm of entertainment, including sports, gaming, and computing.
