Open CrossOver, Install DirectX for Modern Games.Search for Steam and install it (dependencies included).Download the CrossOver trial and drag it into your applications folder.

How to Run 32-Bit Games on Mac with CrossOver: You can visit the Apple Gaming Wiki for a list of compatible games and emulators. Generally, these applications can run games very well on the latest M1 Macs, but the older Intel Macs might struggle with them.įrom my experience, CrossOver tends to support more games and the frame rate is usually better than on Parallels, but it depends on the game. Remember, the performance will not only depend on the app but also on your Mac’s hardware. Luckily both apps offer free trials which should give you enough time to compare them. Parallels will create a virtual Windows machine on your Mac.ĬrossOver and Parallels can run 32-bit applications and games, but you’ll have to test to see which one offers the best performance. CrossOver use Wine to translate Windows applications into Mac commands. The easiest way to play 32-bit games on a Mac is to use an app such as CrossOver or Parallels. Luckily for you, there are a couple of options to play 32-bit games on a Mac. However, there are still lots of popular 32-bit games based on old game engines that are not yet fully compatible with Macs. I recommend researching the game you want to play to see if there is a 64-bit version available. Some games, such as The Sims, have separate 64-bit updates which are natively compatible with Mac. While lots of game developers are updating their 32-bit titles, there are many that are no longer supported. When you try to launch a 32-bit game on Steam from a Mac, an error will appear saying the game needs to be updated to a 64-bit version.

Modern Apple Silicon Macs only support 64-bit applications, using Apple’s Metal API.ĭoes that mean you can’t play any old games on your Mac? Should you give up on your old games forever? Let’s find out.

Are you wondering why some old games refuse to open on the new Macs? Since 2019, Macs no longer support 32-bit applications, which is what most older games use.

Games for mac os x