The World War II-era online aircraft dogfighting game WarBirds is something of an institution. Long available for the Mac, the software’s most recent major Mac iteration features hardware-based graphics rendering. The company’s new CEO is inviting Mac users to give it a try, if they haven’t already.
Long before online gaming was as ubiquitous as it is today, the company behind WarBirds had it available for online play. The game uses a pay-to-play subscription-based model to drive revenue. Players are encouraged to download the game, and can even try it out as a single-player demo version without having to buy anything. The real challenge comes when you sign up for a subscription and take to the air with other WarBirds players, though. Grouped into squadrons, each protecting and trying to expand their own territories, WarBirds players can fly a variety of World War II-era aircraft from bombers to fighters to reconnaissance planes and more.
“Wild Bill” Stealey is iEntertainment Network’s new chief executive officer. Stealey founded legendary game company MicroProse Software, as well as Interactive Magic. Now he’s taken the helm of iEntertainment Network, which develops and publishes WarBirds III and other online games.
“We are going to produce our award winning World War II simulation, WarBirds III in a retail box for shipment in the near future,” said Stealey in a recent e-mail.
Noting that the software work on the Mac, PC and soon Microsoft’s Xbox video game console, Stealey added, “A large percentage of our players are Mac players currently playing with OS 9.x. Soon we will have a version that works on OS X!”
Stealey said that iEntertainment Network’s developers are finishing work on the OS X version, which is expected to be released on March 1, 2002.
“We would love to have you come fly with us and enjoy the excitement of the very best WW II simulation out there,” he said.
In a recent press release, iEntertainment Network also indicated that boxed versions of other games based on the WarBirds III engine would hit store shelves soon.
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