The introduction of macOS 14 marks a significant milestone for Apple as it ventures into the realm of video games. Historically, Apple had regarded the gaming market as secondary, resulting in criticism due to the limited number of games available in its catalog for high-performance and costly machines. However, with the advent of macOS Sonoma, the landscape of gaming on Apple devices undergoes a radical transformation, as evidenced by the remarkable update that was released just a few hours ago. Allow us to share all the exciting details with you.
macOS 14, a before and after
During WWDC, Apple made an exciting announcement by introducing a new portability tool aimed at enabling developers to bring Windows games to macOS. This tool is built upon the popular open-source platform called Wine, which facilitates the translation of Windows software to Unix-based environments like Linux and macOS.
Building upon the Unix foundation, Apple has made significant enhancements and adaptations to this tool, particularly in real-time translation of Direct X12 to Metal 3. With the help of this tool, developers can effectively convert the graphics of Windows games to Metal, Apple’s native graphics framework, resulting in improved game performance on macOS. Even if you’re not a developer, you can still utilize this tool by accessing it through the terminal, allowing you to run Windows games on your Mac. This exciting development opens up new possibilities for gaming enthusiasts on macOS.
New macOS update
The Game Porting Toolkit beta 1.0.2 brings significant improvements to game performance on Mac, and various tests conducted by YouTubers and analysts have confirmed its positive impact. Notably, YouTuber Andrew Tsai conducted tests with the new version, reporting highly satisfactory results.
In his experience, Elder Ring ran smoothly at 32 frames per second on a Mac equipped with an M1 Max chip. Similarly, Cyberpunk’s frame rate improved from 8 fps to 18 fps on a Mac with an M2 Ultra chip. It’s important to note that this is just the initial version, and over time, compatibility between video games and Macs with Apple Silicon will continue to improve.
Previously unsupported games like Horizon But Dawn and Resident Evil 2 now run perfectly on macOS, demonstrating Apple’s commitment to preparing its ecosystem for the gaming world as swiftly as possible.
If you wish to explore these developments, it’s necessary to have downloaded the latest beta version of macOS Sonoma, which was recently released. As per Apple’s usual practice, the public beta will be available in July, allowing users to report any bugs and contribute to its refinement before the official release in the fall.
Key strategic move at Apple
The introduction of games on macOS opens up possibilities for developers to create new and exclusive experiences for Mac users. Through agreements with Apple, developers may have the opportunity to develop their own unique stories within the Mac environment. This strategic move by Apple could also pave the way for the company to leverage the success of certain titles and potentially release related movies or series on AppleTV+.
Apple has timed the arrival of games on macOS well, coinciding with the transition from Intel chips to Apple Silicon, as exemplified by the introduction of the Mac Pro. This transition presents an opportune moment for Apple to focus on the gaming segment, which they have already shown interest in with Apple Arcade.
Only time will tell how successful this transition will be in the market, but as my esteemed colleague Javi Zaldivar often points out, Apple tends to excel in these endeavors. Apple’s track record and commitment to delivering exceptional experiences provide promising prospects for the future of gaming on macOS.