As long as Macs are pre-built, with essentially no ability to customize or 'build-to-order', they will never even come close to rivalling PCs in the game industry. Most hard-core gamers build their gaming systems from the ground up, using componants *they* choose - and many even modify the componants in ways that certainly void warrantees.
The whole basis of the success of the Mac is that they come as a complete package - hardware, software, and even most periferals like your keyboard, mouse, and monitor. Just watch any of those annoying Mac commercials - they advertise simplicity based on the fact that there is no need for custom configuration. Yes, plenty of PCs come as package deals too, but 'gamers' don't buy Futureshop's deal of the week... These complete systems are for people who just want a computer that lets them live their lives - email, web browsing, word processing, and the occassional game for the kids. There's nothing wrong wanting that sort of system if you are an average user, but that's definitely not what a true gamer is looking for. A true gaming system is build for gaming and really nothing else - and unfortunately that doesn't really mesh with the Mac 'iLife' philosophy.

I don't see how a Mac is going to be able to run some of the high end games that are being produced for PCs these days. As MT pointed out every Hardcore PC gamer out there builds their own system and doesn't muck around with Dell or HP type systems. The systems we build are extremely high end and can run games at a very high frame rate and at very high graphics level. Command and Conquer 3 is a game that runs best on high end systems and its graphics are phenomenal. The only way that this game will run on a Mac is with some serious retooling. That alone is worrisome, but from a graphics standpoint C&C3 is going to lose its finely polished edge just so it can run on a Mac. Mac may be good for the average person just like a Compaq or HP computer is but a gamer isn't likely to go to a Mac just because EA announces that they will produce games for Apple.

Gaming on the mac is really something that will affect a small portion of users, Most mac fans are not interested in games unless they are composing music for them and those that are have the super high end Mac-pro systems that can be up to $15000.00, I assume the mac versions of these games will be scaled down in some way for use with os x and the specific hardware on consumer level machines.

I agree with MT, a serious gamer will need to custom build their machine in order to get the full experience of the current genre of hardcore games.

Even if Apple does catch up to PCs in the performance category, it is more cost effective to build a PC using parts from the huge list of vendors than it is to spec a high end Mac.

Most Mac users appreciate simplicity and do not want to spend their valuable free time assembling electronics in order to get sucked into the addicting world of gaming. They are best off purchasing a console if they want to continue their brand loyalty.

The only way I see Apple getting into the gaming world is if they follow Nintendo's model and develop new creative games that appeal to a different market segment than hardcore gamers.

I think that some here are forgetting that the majority of the video and graphics used in the high end games were created on Mac's!

With quad-core processors, 2GB - 4GB RAM and some of the best and fastest video hardware out there, couple all that with the fact that Mac's are getting more and more customizable now (using mostly PC parts) I think that gamers will be pleasantly surprised at Apple's fore into the gaming world.

As for Mac-ites wanting to game.. they drove the console industry initially (cause they didn't want to submit to MS rule on a PC (LOL)) and created many of the graphics for games over the years.

This past year my brother and I started gaming on Mac. There is limited titles but so far we have been impressed with the performance. Blizzard titles have been the main games we have tried out and find no significant difference in performance from a PC to the Intel Mac. Of course we loaded the system with extra memory and the high end video card option. The lower end Mac systems with integrated video controllers would never perform though.