GameTap announced plans on Thursday to bring Myst Online: Uru Live to the Macintosh. The game is currently in beta testing for the PC. Users interested in the Mac beta test are encouraged to visit the Web site.
Myst Online: Uru Live brings one of the best-selling computer games in history into a persistent online world, where the game and storyline constantly adapt as you participate in what happens, exploring the various “Ages” of Myst.
Myst Online: Uru Live traces the story of the D’ni, an ancient, long-vanished civilization that created an underground empire on the earth and developed “The Art of Writing,” which enabled them to create their own “Linking Books” that let them travel to different worlds, or “Ages.” The D’ni have served as central parts of the Myst story over the years. Now explorers have begun to restore the remnants of the D’ni civilization in the hopes of discovering what has happened to them.
Features in Myst Online: Uru Live include the ability to create your own avatar with realistic skin tone, facial features, clothing style and colors, interact with other players through text or voice chat, collaborative and solo puzzle solving and more.
The technology that’s driving Macintosh support for the game is TransGaming’s Cider, a virtualization tool that enables Windows software to run on Intel-based Macs without need a separate version of Windows to be installed, and without requiring users to reboot into Windows, as Boot Camp does. That will limit Myst Online: Uru Live’s Mac compatibility specifically to Intel Macs — it’s the same technology that Freeverse Software licensed to bring Heroes of Might & Magic V to the Mac, as well. Preliminary Mac system requirements were not specified.
“The original Myst game premiered on the Mac. The Mac community has always been huge supporters of the Myst franchise and we’re thrilled that we will soon be able to invite them to the newest Myst experience,” said Rand Miller, CEO of Cyan Worlds and creator of Myst Online.
This marks GameTap’s first foray into the Mac market. GameTap offers more than 750 on-demand games including many classic console, computer and arcade titles to broadband-connected computers.