Many have asked us here at Aspyr about the recent Boot Camp announcement and its impact on Mac gaming and our company. Our stance is pretty simple and comes from experience: The more hardware Apple sells, the more Mac games we will sell. Apple's recently announced OS feature, Boot Camp, is sure to sell more machines. After 10 years of developing games for the Macintosh we've learned that things change, industries evolve and that we must anticipate it and grow. We consider our ability to be quick and nimble a competitive advantage. These changes are the kinds of things we crave because it means things are getting better for the consumer. After all, when was the last time you heard people talk this much about Mac gaming?

Aspyr will continue to focus on 3 things:
1. Ship native Mac games as quickly as possible.
2. Deliver the best gaming experience and best support possible for our Mac customers.
3. Offer even more choices to Mac gamers.

We'll let you in on our future plans and products later in the year.

Aspyr's leadership in the Mac gaming market is important to us, as is our commitment to  being a great publisher for all video game platforms. With titles such as Dreamfall, Spellforce™ 2 and Gothic™ 3, we're fulfilling our vision to deliver an incredible entertainment experience to the world. We do not fear change; we anticipate it and kiss it right on the lips. So pucker up Boot Camp.

For PC and Xbox, Dreamfall™: The Longest Journey should be arriving on retail shelves as you read this!  Check Aspyr's Dreamfall Xbox site for information on this incredible action/adventure title.

THE SIMS™ 2 NIGHTLIFE

The Sims™ 2 Nightlife, the second expansion pack for The Sims™ 2, takes Sims into the night to explore all of their favorite after-dark activities. Players can either head out and discover their love lives or have a crazy night out with friends. The newest addition to the game includes the brand new pleasure seeker aspiration allowing players to explore a life filled with unforgettable dates, endless nights of dancing and fine dining. Take your Sims nightlife to new levels with more than 125 new objects including a DJ booth, poker table and all you need to design the ultimate nightclub and VIP lounge.

Whether they're dancing until dawn, romancing that special someone, or striking out at the bowling alley, it'll be an unforgettable night! Determine their love lives as you discover the chemistry between Sims. Will their life aspirations and personalities click or clash? It could be the beginning of a stormy affair or a dating disaster. Ready for fun and romance? Bring on the night!

The Sims™ 2 Nightlife is rated "T" for "Teen" by the ESRB and is available for the Mac at $34.99 at www.aspyr.com. For more information, fans can visit Aspyr's site, or The Sims™ 2 Nightlife official Web site.

Requires The Sims™ 2 to play.

Quake 4™ Mac has shipped, and we are very close to releasing our SMP patch, which will add dual core support to the game.  On our benchmarks on the Intel-based iMac, we are seeing 20-40% speed increases in frame rate with the extra processor!  Other updates to our existing games include the Sims™ 2 Mac Universal patch, which should be released by the time you read this.  A patch for Civilization® 3 Complete Mac to make it Universal should also be available.

In development news, Civilization® IV Mac is in testing, and the game has come together nicely.  Performance is solid, and even our early test builds appear to be very stable.  It will be shipping as Universal out of the box, similar to Quake 4™ and Call of Duty® 2 for Mac. 

We've begun development on two new PC games, announcements will come in the new few months.  Both should bring gameplay experiences that aren't well represented in the PC market, so we have high hopes for them!

Keep those Technical questions coming for your chance to receive a free Aspyr game! Send an email to info@aspyr.com, and include "Question of the Month" in the subject line.

Please visit http://support.aspyr.com for our 24 hour online support solution and game updates.

This month we were lucky enough to get a minute with Aspyr's Creative Programs Director, Zach Rener.  Zach is an Aspyr veteran, avid fisherman and a proud, new father.

ASPYR: Three words that best describe you:

ZACH: Good-natured doormat.
 
ASPYR: What store would you choose to max out your credit card?

ZACH: A money store.

ASPYR: What is your proudest athletic achievement?

ZACH: When I was 10 I hit a 3-run homer off of the kid of a guy who backed into my dad's truck and lied about it. That, and when I got hit by a pitch to win the regional championship in High School.

ASPYR: The first concert you ever attended?

ZACH: INXS - Guns N Roses opened for them. I was in 4th grade and that concert changed my life. I wore through 3 cassette copies of Appetite for Destruction in the years to follow.

ASPYR: What was the best music to come out of the '80s?

ZACH: That is a tough question, but for me personally I liked me some U2, The Cars, Prince and the aforementioned GNR.

ASPYR: Favorite month or season of the year?

ZACH: I enjoy right now - March through the beginning of May. The Bass are biting and it reminds me that I still do not own a boat. Plus, the snow cones are extra ripe this time of year.

ASPYR: Letterman or Leno?

ZACH: Letterman. Dave is a hero of mine along with Steve Martin.

ASPYR: Favorite cereal?

ZACH: I like Corn Pops and Kix mixed together.

ASPYR: What is your favorite Saturday Night Live character/skit?

ZACH: That would have to be Phil Hartman. No question about it.
 
ASPYR: What has been your favorite work experience at Aspyr?

ZACH: This newsletter questionnaire is pretty awesome, but I would say assembling the Stubbs soundtrack was a really great experience.