Unleashing the Power: Must-See WWDC23 Topics for Game Developers
As an iOS developer and Apple ecosystem enthusiast, WWDC is the event I eagerly anticipate the most each year. It’s a week packed with major announcements, groundbreaking technologies, and game-changing tools. From the very start of the keynote, you can feel the adrenaline rush of what’s to come.
And this year’s edition, WWDC23, did not disappoint, especially with the long-awaited arrival of a highly anticipated platform.
With over 175 brand-new instructional video sessions, covering the latest in both hardware and software, developers can dive headfirst into the exciting world of updates and innovations.
Now, there’s so much to talk about, but let me take you on a thrilling journey through the key topics that captured my attention as Game Developer during the keynote and the Platforms State of the Union.
Apple’s investment in the gaming industry has been evident since the introduction of their Silicon SoC. Already renowned for the incredible value provided by their dedicated service, Apple Arcade, and a wide range of third-party games on the App Store, Apple has taken their commitment to gaming to a whole new level. Along Metal 3 updates, and official support for game controllers from companies like Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo, they have expanded the horizons of gaming on their platforms, delivering impressive performance, visuals and overall experience.
Introducing Game Mode: Elevating Your Gaming Experience
macOS Sonoma is set to introduce a feature called Game Mode. Brace yourself for an even smoother gaming experience, with CPU and GPU giving top priority to your game. Say goodbye to audio and input latency with Xbox and PlayStation game controllers and AirPods, as Apple doubles the Bluetooth sampling rate, ensuring a truly immersive gaming adventure.
Game Porting Toolkit: Empowering Developers to Bring Games to Mac
Imagine turning a year-long game porting process into a matter of days! With the Game Porting Toolkit, a new cutting-edge tool based on Metal 3, game developers can seamlessly port their existing games from other platforms to macOS. It’s a three-step transformation that includes:
- Step 1: Evaluate your game’s performance on Mac using emulation ( Make a Game Plan session );
- Step 2: Convert and compile your shaders effortlessly ( Compile your shaders session );
- Step 3: Convert your graphics code and optimize your game ( Render with Metal session ).
With the remarkable capabilities and tools provided by Metal, game porting has never been more accessible or thrilling.
But here’s the best part: Apple has released the Game Porting Toolkit under an open-source license, enabling developers to freely integrate it into their applications. As if that weren’t enough, Christina Warren, Senior Developer Advocate at GitHub, revealed that Apple through this tool has implicitly added DirectX12 support to macOS, drawing parallels to Proton.
In fact, some users are already achieving impressive results, launching demanding games like Diablo 4, Cyberpunk 2077, and Hogwarts Legacy on Mac, although a few bugs are inevitable as it is not intended for a gaming scope.
A Remarkable Collaboration
One of the most thrilling moments during the keynote was the appearance of Hideo Kojima, invited by Apple to announce the release of Death Stranding Director’s Cut on Mac, showcasing how AAA games can be fully enjoyed on the platform with the proper optimizations, also pointing out that they will invest more on releasing future titles on mac, while prompting other game developers to take advantage of it too.
As showed, other titles like The Medium, No Man’s Sky, World of Warcraft: Dragonflight, and Stray, are set to receive the same extraordinary porting treatment and played on macOS soon.
The New “Toy”: Unlocking Spatial Computing’s Gaming Potential
While gaming wasn’t the primary focus, the keynote revealed that over 100 games from the Apple Arcade subscription will be ready to launch on VisionOS from Day One, along all other iOS and iPadOS apps and games. This just leaves us wondering about possible interoperability with Mac games, as demonstrated through screen mirroring to use Final Cut Pro and game controllers, leaving display limitations behind.
However, the real thrill lies in dedicated mixed reality experiences. Apple has curated a series of sessions guiding developers to create exceptional gaming experiences for spatial computing. The partnership with Unity takes center stage, as they join forces to seamlessly integrate Unity’s real-time engine on top of RealityKit. This collaboration ensures that apps and games can coexist in the Shared Space, offering unparalleled advantages such as high-resolution pass-through, Dynamic Foveated Rendering, and native gestures.
In Conclusion: WWDC23 Achievement Complete
As we reach the end of our journey through the WWDC23 highlights for game developers, it’s clear that Apple has unleashed a new era of gaming experiences on its platforms. The event showcased groundbreaking updates and tools that empower developers to create remarkable games, explore new possibilities, and bring their visions to life like never before.
So, fellow game developers, buckle up, embrace the tools unveiled at WWDC23, and let your imagination run wild. It’s time to redefine what’s possible and create unforgettable experiences that will thrill players across the globe. Get ready to level up, because the game has just begun.
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