Gear up soldier, and get ready for the best weekend of Mac gaming ever!

In celebration of Memorial Day and an upcoming update that will add a Remote Console to Call of Duty: Black Ops (allowing players to host their own multiplayer servers), this weekend Aspyr will be offering 50% off of the base game as well as the Call of Duty: Black Ops – Rezurrection DLC and the Call of Duty: Black Ops – Annihilation & Escalation Content Pack. Why wait for the weekend, though, when you can take advantage of this deal right now, exclusively at the GameAgent Store! (Answer: There’s no reason to wait, so, you know–get to it!)

Additionally, Aspyr will be hosting a special Black Ops Multiplayer Weekend running from Friday, May 24 – Monday, May 27. You’ll need to keep an eye out for Aspyr players on Call of Duty: Black Ops servers–they will be giving top Call of Duty: Black Ops players instructions on how to get a coupon for a free Aspyr game all weekend long!

To increase your odds of impressing any Aspyr on-lookers, you’ll need to prepare for this weekend’s multiplayer mayhem, so be sure to freshen up your skills, and check out our handy Call of Duty: Black Ops Multiplayer Survival Guide for some tips on how to succeed in Call of Duty: Black Ops multiplayer. We look forward to seeing you in-game!

Also, check back on the GameAgent Blog later this week for more information about the Remote Console Update and on how to get the most out of the Black Ops Mac Community.

If you have any questions, comments, or just want to display your enthusiasm for taking on some Aspyr players, let us know in the comments!

This guest-post is brought to you by Ric Molina (@MacGamerRic). A self-proclaimed Mac gaming fan, he runs MacGamerHQ, the blog where you can find all things Mac Games.   

Time sure flies. 2012 is long gone and I’m left here with this bittersweet feeling. Why? Well, because 2012 brought so many great games that I can’t even decide which one to tackle next! I guess having too many choices can be difficult…. I know, I know, this is a great problem to have . There are several reasons I said 2012 was Mac gaming’s best year yet, but if you need to remember the main one, it’s the games! 2012 brought more high quality games than ever before. Today, I will give you my top 10 games of the year:  

1. Borderlands 2

“I don’t care if I can’t play Black Ops 2 on the Mac as long as I can keep shooting things in the face with my pals in Borderlands 2!”

Borderlands 2 was without a doubt my favourite game of the year. Combining a highly polished First-person shooter with addictive RPG elements such as looting, experience and levelling up, Gearbox Software found the perfect formula for an awesome game. The story, world and characters blend perfectly, creating a great atmosphere. Did I mention the game gets even better when playing co-op with a friend? Aspyr did a great job too, bringing a gorgeous and demanding game to the Mac without a hitch. Borderlands 2 got an 89 Metascore, meaning I’m not alone with this one.   (more…)

Who doesn’t love the smell of napalm in the morning? Inspires some intense battle action for sure. But what about the smell of a sale in the morning? This Tuesday we bring you one of the hottest games of last year, in its Tuesday’s 20% debut. For one day only, get Call of Duty: Black Ops for only $39.99! 

Call of Duty: Black Ops takes players to conflicts across the globe as elite Black Ops forces fight in the deniable operations and secret wars that occurred under the veil of the Cold War.  Featuring an epic single-player campaign, an incredibly deep multiplayer experience and expanded co-op gameplay, Call of Duty: Black Ops runs on the improved World at War engine and offers amazing enhanced graphics, streaming texture technology, and superior lighting effects.

Features

• The hallmark intensity of Call of Duty returns with an impressive single-player campaign that takes players deep behind enemy lines as an elite Black Ops soldier engaging in covert warfare, classified operations, and explosive conflicts across the globe.
• ZOMBIES! For the first time on the Mac, fight to survive in one of the most thrilling and critically acclaimed co-op experiences in gaming.
• Expanding on the series’ ultimate multiplayer experience, Call of Duty: Black Ops takes competitive play to new heights. Expect the fast-paced, action-packed combat you love with more features than ever before.

Bonus Content

The included First Strike DLC gives you 5 incredibly diverse maps spanning the globe, including 4 new multiplayer maps and a chilling new Zombie experience, all at no extra charge!

 C’mon, you know you’ve been waiting for this sale to happen so you could sink your teeth into some of the best multiplayer and zombie killing action available on the Mac. But don’t rest on your laurels too long solider, this 20% off deal is for ONE DAY ONLY! You have until Midnight on Tuesday, February 5th to buy Call of Duty: Black Ops on the Mac for cheaper than anywhere else.

If you decide to get in on the Black Ops action, make sure to join the Facebook multiplayer group to talk to fellow Mac gamers and schedule multiplayer mayhem!

Like us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter if you want the latest deals and Mac gaming news!

The internet is a vast wealth of information. Sometimes the information we’re looking for can feel lost amongst an information overload. It’s hard to check in every possible place for answers. When questions come up fairly frequently or cause a stir in the community, we’d like to address  those here so that you get access to the help and information you need. 

Controllers are an important aspect of playing many games. Across companies and titles, it seems like every game has its own preference for setting up controller usage. Some require 3rd party drivers, while many games from Aspyr Media and Feral Interactive do not, with drivers built into the game.

It can be hard to keep up with which ones do and do not need drivers, so we wanted to clear the air a little by detailing which Aspyr games have built-in controller drivers and what to do if you have problems connecting your controller to a game. The following is an excerpt from the Knowledge Base on Aspyr’s Support site, courtesy of Jason, one of Aspyr’s support leads:

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Happy new year, indeed!

Aspyr Media has launched a new promo in which all of the games they released (and re-released) in 2012 are 25% off. The promo is set to last through January 23 and is active at the GameAgent Store, Mac App Store, and other participating online retailers. Here’s the full list of titles on sale:

• Borderlands 2
• Borderlands 2 DLC – Mechromancer Pack
• Borderlands 2 DLC – Captain Scarlett and Her Pirate’s Booty
• Borderlands 2 DLC – Mr. Torgue’s Campaign of Carnage
• Call of Duty: Black Ops
• Call of Duty: Black Ops DLC – Rezurrection
• Call of Duty: Black Ops DLC – Annihilation & Escalation Pack
• Civilization V: Gods and Kings (expansion)
• Company of Heroes Complete: Campaign Edition
• Duke Nukem Forever DLC – Hail to the Icons Parody Pack
• Duke Nukem Forever DLC – The Doctor Who Cloned Me
• Doom 3
• Quake 4
• RAGE: Campaign Edition
• Rollercoaster Tycoon 3: Platinum
• Star Wars: Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast
• Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
• Star Wars: The Force Unleashed: Ultimate Sith Edition

Ever wonder why AAA Mac App games often come with more limited multiplayer functionality? Or why it takes so long to release updates for your favorite Mac game? Wonder no more. Aspyr Media’s Vice President of Publishing Elizabeth Howard has recently published an incredibly informative and entertaining report, exclusive to the GameAgent Blog, on the complexities and challenges of offering multiplayer on the Mac. Below is the opening excerpt to whet your appetite. You can check out the rest of the piece by clicking the link that follows.

“Can I play this game with my friends?” It’s a seemingly simple question that is asked by the majority of Mac gamers; unfortunately, getting to a simple “yes” or “no” (or “maybe”) answer is more often than not a much more complex process. In fact, multiplayer gaming can be a confusing landscape on the Mac, with each product often offering a slightly different take.  We wanted to take the opportunity to explain the development challenges when supporting multiplayer gaming on the Mac in hopes this helps our audience better understand the decisions and processes that go into providing a Mac multiplayer experience; this will hopefully in turn help you make an educated decision when purchasing games on the Mac.  There are lots of nuances for each platform, game and the parties involved, but the below gives a basic overview of the realities in multiplayer Mac gaming.

Click here to read the full report. 

Apple’s Mac App Store is home to some of the absolute finest games to be released on the Mac and a popular platform for grabbing those games. As another year draws to a close, the Editorial Staff look back all the best games and apps that were released on the Mac App Store this year. Check out what they thought was the cream of the crop.

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It’s that magical time of year where houses are aglow with colored lights and the urge to give everyone you know a lump of coal. It the Christmas/Hanukkah season! But we know you love the people in your life too much to just give coal. You know your other relatives are getting everyone socks and underwear, so it’s your chance to get them something fun that speaks their gaming streak. So what do you get the Mac gamers in your life? To make it easy for you, we’ve put together a holiday gift guide to help find the perfect gift for all the gamers in your life. (more…)

This is brought to you by Ric Molina (@MacGamerRic), a self-proclaimed Mac fan and “hardcore” gamer. He runs MacGamerHQ, the online place for all the biggest news, previews and reviews about Mac games.  

More and more First Person Shooters are coming to the Mac. You can now choose among Rage, Portal 2, Borderlands and starting this week, Borderlands 2 , just to name a few. Yet, the series that defined what a modern First Person Shooter should be is Call of Duty. Aspyr brought Mac gamers everywhere much joy by bringing Black Ops to the Mac!  

Enter Call of Duty: Black Ops

Call of Duty: Black Ops was originally released on consoles and the PC 2 years ago. The most recent Call of Duty game available for the Mac was Modern Warfare, until Aspyr decided it was time to bring a new Call of Duty game to the Mac platform. Black Ops for Mac was released the 27th September 2012 and you can get it at GameAgent for $49.99.   (more…)

Mac Gaming News

• Aspyr Media released the final DLC for Call of Duty: Black Ops this week. The Annihilation & Escalation pack is now available! (more…)