Game developer Valve has launched a new “Early Access” program that allows gamers on both Mac and PC platforms to purchase and play and handful of new games that are still in development. The idea behind the program is to give the developers feedback in pre-release, and in some cases add to or otherwise affect the game’s final development. The pricing of each game includes a copy of the finished release on Steam, but only three of the current 12 Early Access games are compatible with the Mac.
While reflective of the dominance of Windows-oriented titles in the gaming industry, the program’s inclusion of some cross-platform titles in the range shows a continued growth in the willingness of game developers to be inclusive of the Mac gaming community. More and more PC titles are coming to the Mac more quickly, such as the forthcoming release of Bioshock Infinite only a few months after its console and PC debut. More MMORPG games now include Mac players either on launch or shortly thereafter.
