For those of you a little behind on the news, Apple’s Q1 2012 revealed last week that they started off their fiscal year with a bang. Numbers in the report showed they achieved all-time record sales for their iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Not to mention that this quarter had the highest quarterly revenue and earnings EVER. Congratulations to you Apple! Let’s delve into some numbers and see just how awesome they did. (more…)

Apple Gaming News

Apple Gaming News

• iOS gamers have cause to rejoice as the iPad 3 may turn out to be a powerful gaming machine. More articles here and here.
• Apple has already rocked the boat with mobile gaming. Are consoles next?
• Ion turns ThinkGeek’s joke product, the iCade, into reality.
• Soul Caliber hit the iPhone earlier this week on the 19th.
• 10-year-old develops his own game, Monkeyberry, for the iPhone. Cheeky.
• A gamer’s take on what would make the iPhone 5 a good gaming machine.
• The iPhone 4S ranks in the top 5 gaming smartphones in India.

Apple News

• Apple is now worth more then Greece and several other things!
• Another victory for Apple as the German court rejects Samsung’s patent claim against Apple.
• In the battle of the smartphones, Apple is narrowing the gap with Android.
• Reports claim that the iPad 3 is already in production and on its way soon!
• Tired of lugging around heavy textbooks? Apple now brings textbooks to the iPad.
• Here’s everything you need to know about the Apple’s education announcement
• The Chinese are too crazy about the iPhone forcing Apple to suspend sales of their smartphone in China.
• A glimpse into how much Apple employees earn.

Our Posts

We know you love annihilating your loved ones and friends (through video games of course). But just because one of you favors Mac over a PC doesn’t mean you should miss out on the epic battles that are waiting  for you.

There are an increasing number of games that feature cross-platform multiplayer, which means that you can use your Mac to play your friends who use a Mac or PC.  Below is a list of some of the best that cross-platform multiplayer has to offer.

• Published by Aspyr Media, Sid Meier’s Civilization V is a turn-based strategy title that lets players conquer surrounding territories with the hopes of becoming the ultimate and superior empire. Though the cross-platform multiplayer is currently on hiatus until the latest patch hits Macs in early February, Civ V is still a top-tier game that allows you to defeat your friends on both Mac and PC.

• Madballs in Babo: Invasion, which features up to 16 players in multiplayer, challenges you to make your way through a 3D environment, decimating your friends along the way. Madballs is published by Playbrains and is available on both Mac and PC through Steam.

• Published by Nimbly Games, Altitude is a unique, side-scrolling aerial combat title.  You’ll fly through obstacles in the sky while shooting down your enemies, and can play with your friends on Mac or PC using Steam.
• Killing Floor is a co-op survival horror FPS set in the devastated cities and countryside of England after a series of cloning experiments for the military goes horribly wrong.  The title, published by Tripwire Interactive, allows up to 6 players to battle through hordes of flesh-craving zombies and is available through Steam on PC and Mac.
• Guerrilla Bob, published by Angry Mob Games,  is a one-of-a-kind, fast-paced shooter with a cartoon art style that allows players to fight and loot enemies for weapon upgrades and power ups. Available on a variety of platforms (Mac, PC, iPhone, Android), friends can play together via a local Wi-Fi connection.

As founders of the Steam gaming platform, Valve Software naturally has made many of their games available for cross-platform gaming, too. Some of their titles include:

• Portal 2, which allows you to play as a robot in a futuristic environment, has players solving puzzles cooperatively to move through portals in this action-adventure title. Portal 2 is particularly unique in that the cross-platform multiplayer  is available for Macs, PCs and the PS3.
• Left 4 Dead and Left 4 Dead 2, are survivor thriller first person shooter titles that challenge players to band together to fight off a zombie outbreak. L4D and L4D2 can be played on Mac, PC and Xbox, though the game is only cross-platform on Mac and PC.
• Team Fortress 2 is a free-to-play, team-based title in which teams battle it out against each other by customizing and upgrading their characters. Team Fortress 2 multiplayer is available for Mac and PC through Steam.
• (more…)

Now, as the iPhone has reached an almost cult status, the focus has been drawn to the extensive Apple App Store and the development of said apps. Many developers, both large companies and indie have crossed over to the mobile app market, seeing potential to hit it big. Looking at the large-scale success of games and apps in the mobile market makes it hard not to see mobile app development as a gold rush, and believe me, everyone is wanting in.

The popularity and dream of striking gold with a mobile app can be compared to entering the lottery. Billions of people each year enter local lotteries, many daily, with the hopes of cashing in.

With just the Apple App Store, the market is flooded with apps ready to make a quick buck with the marketplace expanding to over 500,000 active apps. So with this overflow of apps, do you stand a chance making a popular game? Sadly, the odds are against you, my friend. (more…)

With the year quickly coming to an end, Apple has released the list their favorite games and apps on the Mac App Store for 2011. The Mac App Store has blown up since its launch earlier this year and has made it easier than ever to purchase games and apps for Apple devices.

Among the games featured in the Best of Mac App Store 2011, Aspyr Media, Inc. and Feral Interactive led the pack with an array of strategy, puzzler and first-person shooter titles including the Mac App Game of the Year 2011 going to Aspyr Media’s empire-conquring Sid Meier’s Civilization V: Campaign Edition!

Aspyr Media is also the proud publisher of other games that made the list:

• Call of Duty 4—Get your best killing streak while experiencing intense cinematic scenes of this well-loved game.
• Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic—Play as your favorite Star Wars character as you lead a gang of rebel freedom fighters to save the galaxy from the dark side.
•  The Secret of Monkey Island—Re-mastered with new music and hand-drawn animations, this classic puzzle game takes you through the Caribbean to find the secrets of Monkey Island.

Not to go under the radar, Feral Interactive ranked an impressive number of titles on the Best of Mac App Store 2011 list, including the mutant-battling Bioshock, the role-playing shooter Borderlands, the off-road racing Colin McRae: Dirt 2 and the wizardly LEGO Harry Potter.

As the days barrel on into the New Year, Mac App Store is an easy way to finish your holiday shopping. With a wide selection of games, this year’s Best Mac App list is sure to have something for everyone. Head on over to the Mac App Store and check out the favorites today!

This morning, everyone around the world woke to a new world without Steve Jobs.  Considered one of the greatest minds and visionaries of our time, the news of his passing was a shock to many.  Sometimes there are no words.  Other times, there are words that exemplify exactly how you feel.  I opened my email inbox this morning to the latter with an address from Aspyr’s Executive Vice President Ted Staloch.

Originally intended just for the employees at Aspyr, I thought the letter was too good not to share with fans of Aspyr, GameAgent, and Apple alike.  So I have received permission from Ted to share the letter with the rest of you.  Below is the letter in its entirety.

By now you all know Steve Jobs has passed on.

I am sure like many of you, even though I knew he was sick and the time was coming, I am shocked by the news.  For various reasons I’m struggling and wanted to share a few thoughts about what Steve Jobs has meant to me, but more importantly to Aspyr.

As 9-11 is our generation’s JFK, Steve Jobs is our generation’s version of Thomas Edison. He was obviously successful and had the vision to be able to match technology with how we consume media. But really what he mastered was the ability to create magic. He did this by believing in “it” before “it” happened. Driven not by arrogance, not by over-confidence, not by calling his competition stupid, but driven by his insatiable conviction and thirst to compete. This, matched with a one-of-a-kind work ethic, determination, and tenacity - beyond reason – is what made him the best. Steve created and made the “it” happen (over and over and over again). He did this by believing, which made others believed, which blossomed ideas into wonderful and usable products the world enjoys today.

Aspyr has been working with Steve for 14 years. One of our favorite memories is [Aspyr President Michael Rogers] shaking hands with Steve on stage at MacWorld as we announced Tony Hawk for the Mac. Steve knew us as the “game guys.” He supported Aspyr as much as he supported any game company, including EA, Disney and Activision. He helped us become the great company we are today in 2011.

Steve spoke at Stanford in 2005 and said this:

“Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure — these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important… Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.”

We do not pretend to be in the same circle of Steve Jobs, but we can all be inspired by Steve. We have nothing to lose and every reason to continue to follow our hearts…..and succeed.

Here is to Apple, Pixar, NEXT and tonight…. here is to Steve Jobs and his family. We are forever thankful for all you have done for the world and for Aspyr.

Continue to be insanely great!!!

-Ted

Again, I don’t think I could have said things better myself.  Steve Jobs, you will be missed.

If you’ve got something to say about Apple, Steve Jobs, Mac gaming, or anything else you would like to get off your chest, feel free to post in our comments.  Alternatively, Apple is asking everyone to share their memories, thoughts, and condolences by sending them to rememberingsteve@apple.com.

With all the big excitement yesterday about the announcement of the newest iPhone model (hello, iPhone 4S!), we got a little curious about just how many iPhones and other iOS devices Apple has sold over the years.  So we took a look at Apple’s quarterly financial statements–and we were blown away.

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Apple computing ruled the headlines this week, and for good reason–they’re amazing!

Apple and Apple-Related Gaming News

• Transgaming sat down with Inside Mac Games to discuss some upcoming projects.
• Shooters aren’t just for the mouse and keyboard! GamePro looks at the 10 Best iPhone Shooters.
• Surprise! Apple stock is UP since Steve Jobs retired!
• People are really satisfied with their Apple computers.  Well, duh.
• Inside Mac Games reviews some great new releases, including DiRT 2! (*cough* available at the GameAgent Store *cough*)
• iTunes has come a long way–check out the visual history from the beginning to now!

Gaming Stories in General

• User reviews gone wild! Giant Bomb looks at a recent phenomenon that has some publishers worried about sales.
• RAGE looks amazing. That is all.
• Get your Diablo III Beta impressions here!
• Star Wars: The Old Republic may be slipping to 2012.
• Social games curtailing spending on console gaming? Oh, the humanity!

Our Posts

• Quicksave: YOUR Votes Determine the Price of Your Favorite Game!

Time to get musical on this rockin’ Friday with an ode to the games we play and the real reason we play them.

Apple and Apple-Related Gaming News

• The new Apple campus is going to be NUTS.
• Macworld breaks down how Apple achieves greatness. Hint: It’s not magic.
• GamePro goes crazy for Apple gaming this week:
• The 6 best word games on the iPhone and iPad.
• These games are better on the iPhone and iPad than any other platform.
• Hey, Nintendo, scared of the iPhone 5 yet? Computerworld thinks you should be.
• Have you upgrade to OS X Lion yet? Mac|Life points out 80 new features you may have overlooked.
• The iPad 3 has been pushed to 2012 due to troubles with the Retina Display.
• MacRumors drops the news that Duke Nukem Forever is now available on the Mac!
• iPhone users beware: AT&T is taking away the $10 text messaging plan.

Gaming Stories in General

• A new Counter-Strike game is on the way!
• IndustryGamers talks about how Duke Nukem Forever succeeded against all odds.
• Bioshock’s Rapture may soon be a reality thanks to a Paypal cofounder.
• 1UP.com takes a look at how Deux Ex has been reinvented from the ground up.
• Is the best game of the year already in your possession? Joystick Division thinks it may be.

Our Posts

• Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast Now Available via Mac App Store
• Duke Nukem Forever lands on the Mac!
• Quicksave: Celebrate Duke Nukem Launch with 25%+ Off All Aspyr Games