Mac users are still waiting two months after game maker
Electronic
Arts promised to increase its development efforts for the Mac OS X platform.
Executives from the world's largest games developer promised simultaneous
launches on Windows and OS X platforms at
Apple's
Worldwide Developer Conference last June.
They specifically mentioned the launch of
Madden
NFL 08, but no OS X version was available when the game went on sale on 14
August.
The launch included versions for
Sony's
PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable,
Microsoft's
Xbox, Xbox 360 and Windows, and
Nintendo's
Wii and GameCube.
EA's website and Apple's online store, however, made no mention of an OS X
version.
The games company did not return numerous phone calls seeking clarification.
Apple directed all inquiries to EA.
Madden NFL 08 is among the top gaming franchises of all time. Last
year's release was the top selling game of 2006 at more than 2.3 million copies,
according to analyst firm
NPD Group.
The limited supply of games for the Mac is one of the platform's traditional
weaknesses because it forces gaming enthusiasts to use Windows machines.
The EA endorsement, as well as by games developer
ID
Soft, at this year's Worldwide Developer Conference was seen as a big step
towards increasing the software's appeal with mainstream consumers.
Mac users, meanwhile, are venting their frustration online. At gaming site
Inside
Mac Games, gamers fumed about delays with other EA titles including
Battlefield
2142 and
Harry
Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, which had been slated for July.
"Although I am sure that the delays in shipping EA's new Mac titles are due
to development issues, the lack of communication from EA is frustrating," wrote
Inside Mac Games blogger Tuncer Deniz.
"The Mac, especially to EA's internal departments, I'm sure is regarded as
more of a nuisance than anything else."
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