A much anticipated Mac version of the newest city-builder from EA/Maxis will be available for purchase and download in exactly two months, according to an email I just got in my inbox.
This is good news for Mac gamers, who have patiently waited to get their hands on this, including our own Sith-bot, who contributed his thoughts to our “One Month In” review last week.
The other good news is this is not a port, but an actual native version of the game designed to run in Mac OS. This should cut down on bugs, or at least relegate the bugs to only the ones we Windows-users are experiencing. The game will also be seamless across platforms, meaning you can play your cities as you hop from computer to computer and will be able to play with friends regardless of whether they are playing on Mac or PC.
The other good news is that there will be no need for double-dipping for those of us in mixed OS households. For people like me who purchased the PC version of the game, the Mac version will be available for download for free via Origin. Which means my MacBook will get a workout with SimCity.
Here’s the full text of their announcement:
To Our Fans,
SimCity will be coming to the Mac on June 11 as a digital release via Origin™. If you have purchased SimCity for PC, either as a physical or a digital copy, you will receive the Mac version as a digital download on Origin on June 11.
Via Origin, SimCity is cross-platform compatible, so all players will be able to play together across the same servers. You will be able to play both versions with the same Origin account, allowing you to seamlessly continue cities, achievements and leaderboard progress across the PC and Mac.
If you have purchased SimCity for PC, the Mac version has already been added to your Origin account. On your “My Games” page, hover over SimCity and click the info button. You will then see SimCity on Mac in the “Add-ons & Bonuses” section. You will be able to download and play the Mac version on June 11.
Sincerely,
The Maxis Team