OS X : Steam is coming to the Mac

Feek · 09-03-2010, 10:00

It's official!

Quote:

Valve Software today officially announced that it is bringing its Steam game distribution platform, as well as its own library of games, to Mac OS X next month.

Steam and Valve's library of games including Left 4 Dead 2, Team Fortress 2, Counter-Strike, Portal, and the Half-Life series will be available in April.

"As we transition from entertainment as a product to entertainment as a service, customers and developers need open, high-quality Internet clients," said Gabe Newell, President of Valve. "The Mac is a great platform for entertainment services."

Valve also confirmed reports that it will offer its forthcoming Portal 2 game as a simultaneous release for Mac and Windows.

Portal 2 will be Valve's first simultaneous release for Mac and Windows. "Checking in code produces a PC build and Mac build at the same time, automatically, so the two platforms are perfectly in lock-step," said Josh Weier, Portal 2 Project Lead. "We're always playing a native version on the Mac right alongside the PC. This makes it very easy for us and for anyone using Source to do game development for the Mac."

Also included in the announcement is the addition of a new "Steam Play" feature for Steam, allowing purchasers of either the Mac or PC versions of Valve's games to play on the other system free of charge. Third-party game developers distributing through Steam are also widely expected to take advantage of the feature.

Valve leaked a series of teaser images hinting at its move to the Mac platform last week.

This is really good news, it means I'll be able to play the few games I've bought over the years through Steam on my Mac. Steam is one of the few things I've booted into Windows for. I also understand that multiplayer games will be cross platform as well.

Goose · 09-03-2010, 10:06

Woop! I was really starting to miss Team Fortress 2, huzzah!

Burble · 09-03-2010, 10:09

Excellent!

Will · 09-03-2010, 17:38

Do you reckon they will support all other games?

divine · 09-03-2010, 17:48

Very much doubtful, for other games Steam is little more than an online shop so providing OSX support will be down to the specific developer or publisher. A lot of stuff like PopCap games (Plants vs Zombies for example) already have OSX support so will probably make an appearance straight off.

With any luck it'll maybe push a few more devs into doing better OSX conversions with a decent platform like Steam to launch from. Only trouble being, publishers are already getting lazy enough with making games for Windows, nevermind an even smaller OSX market too.

Will · 09-03-2010, 17:48

Ah so it's not an emulator like Scumm?

divine · 09-03-2010, 18:24

No, Steam is just a download service really.

It's basically just the website at http://store.steampowered.com/ in the form of a program with a tab that lists your purchases and allows you to download and play them.

I think Valve have actually gone through their games and made a specific OSX build. You wouldn't stand a hope in hell of emulating games released within the last 3 years, especially given a Macs hardware (especially graphics) will be considerably slower than a PC anyway.

Will · 09-03-2010, 18:34

I have a steam account and have a few games from it, but I just thought it was a platform from which to play games rather than just a device for downloading them and managing them!

iCraig · 09-03-2010, 18:38

People on a real Mac will have crap graphics cards won't they? For games like Left 4 Dead 2 anyway?

Only Hackintoshes will really have the high end cards dropped in them, and those people will likely just boot into a Windows install to play games and play a full range rather than the selected ones that'll work on OSX natively.

It's good but only useful for a small market really.

divine · 09-03-2010, 18:40

It depends on the game in a lot of cases, sometimes you can play the games without Steam even being open (I think you can do this with GTA IV). Steam does have a lot of benefits in the way it downloads and installs though, allowing your games to be completely portable and easily backed up but beyond the few games which use Steamworks for achievements and VAC, Steam doesn't really do much other than act as a download manager.

09-03-2010, 10:06	#2
Goose The list is long, but distinguished Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Århus, Denmark Posts: 1,643	Woop! I was really starting to miss Team Fortress 2, huzzah! __________________

09-03-2010, 17:38	#4
Will BBx woz 'ere :P Join Date: Jan 1970 Posts: 2,147,487,208	Do you reckon they will support all other games? __________________ *No No!*

09-03-2010, 17:48	#5
divine Moonshine Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Southampton Posts: 3,201	Very much doubtful, for other games Steam is little more than an online shop so providing OSX support will be down to the specific developer or publisher. A lot of stuff like PopCap games (Plants vs Zombies for example) already have OSX support so will probably make an appearance straight off. With any luck it'll maybe push a few more devs into doing better OSX conversions with a decent platform like Steam to launch from. Only trouble being, publishers are already getting lazy enough with making games for Windows, nevermind an even smaller OSX market too. __________________

09-03-2010, 17:48	#6
Will BBx woz 'ere :P Join Date: Jan 1970 Posts: 2,147,487,208	Ah so it's not an emulator like Scumm? __________________ *No No!*

09-03-2010, 18:24	#7
divine Moonshine Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Southampton Posts: 3,201	No, Steam is just a download service really. It's basically just the website at http://store.steampowered.com/ in the form of a program with a tab that lists your purchases and allows you to download and play them. I think Valve have actually gone through their games and made a specific OSX build. You wouldn't stand a hope in hell of emulating games released within the last 3 years, especially given a Macs hardware (especially graphics) will be considerably slower than a PC anyway. __________________

09-03-2010, 10:09	#3
Burble Rocket Fuel Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 7,826	Excellent!

09-03-2010, 18:34	#8
Will BBx woz 'ere :P Join Date: Jan 1970 Posts: 2,147,487,208	I have a steam account and have a few games from it, but I just thought it was a platform from which to play games rather than just a device for downloading them and managing them! __________________ *No No!*

09-03-2010, 18:38	#9
iCraig iCustom User Title Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 2,250	People on a real Mac will have crap graphics cards won't they? For games like Left 4 Dead 2 anyway? Only Hackintoshes will really have the high end cards dropped in them, and those people will likely just boot into a Windows install to play games and play a full range rather than the selected ones that'll work on OSX natively. It's good but only useful for a small market really. __________________

09-03-2010, 18:40	#10
divine Moonshine Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Southampton Posts: 3,201	It depends on the game in a lot of cases, sometimes you can play the games without Steam even being open (I think you can do this with GTA IV). Steam does have a lot of benefits in the way it downloads and installs though, allowing your games to be completely portable and easily backed up but beyond the few games which use Steamworks for achievements and VAC, Steam doesn't really do much other than act as a download manager. __________________