Play hundreds of PC games on Mac from first person and multiplayer
From racing around town in Grand Theft Auto 5 or going head-to-head against other players online in Call of Duty: Warzone, there is no limit to what type of PC games can be played on a Mac.
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GTA V
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Botany Manor
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Rocket League
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Call of Duty
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Assassin's Creed
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Dune: Spice Wars
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Minecraft
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Diablo
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Genshin Impact
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Age of Empires
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Skyrim
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Lethal Company
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Felvidek
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More games
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Which Windows Games Can You Play on a Mac?
Parallels Desktop makes it easy to play many popular Windows games on your Mac without rebooting into a separate operating system. Simply install Windows in a virtual machine and launch your favorite PC games alongside your Mac apps.
Popular titles that Mac users run with Parallels Desktop include Grand Theft Auto V, Minecraft, Skyrim, Diablo IV, Age of Empires, Rocket League, Fallout 4, Assassin's Creed, and many other strategy, role-playing, racing, and action games.
Game compatibility varies based on graphics requirements, Windows on ARM support, and anti-cheat technologies. Before purchasing or installing a game, we recommend reviewing the game's system requirements and compatibility information.
How to Optimize Your Mac for Windows Gaming
Parallels Desktop includes built-in performance settings designed specifically for gaming workloads.
Use the Games Only Profile
For the best gaming experience, shut down your Windows virtual machine, open the virtual machine configuration, and select the Games profile. Designed specifically for gaming, this profile automatically optimizes your virtual machine for graphics-intensive workloads by prioritizing performance-related settings. It also tunes keyboard, mouse, and display behavior for a smoother gaming experience and launches Windows in full-screen mode by default.
Allocate Enough CPU and Memory
Many modern Windows games perform best when additional CPU cores and memory resources are assigned to the virtual machine. To learn more about gaming-optimized virtual machine settings and other workload-specific profiles, see our Virtual Machine Profiles in Parallels Desktop Knowledge Base article.
Keep Windows and Parallels Desktop Updated
Installing the latest Windows updates, Parallels Tools updates, and Parallels Desktop releases helps maintain compatibility and performance.
Close Unnecessary Applications
Before launching resource-intensive games, close unused Mac and Windows applications to free up memory and system resources.
Gaming Compatibility and Performance Considerations
DirectX and Graphics Support
Parallels Desktop supports DirectX 11 and OpenGL 4.1, enabling many popular Windows games to run on Mac. Graphics performance varies based on your Mac hardware, available system resources, and each game's requirements.
Apple Silicon Compatibility
Parallels Desktop supports Windows 11 on Apple silicon Macs, allowing users to run many Windows games on M-series chips. Compatibility varies by title and Windows on Arm support.
Anti-Cheat Software Limitations
Some multiplayer games use anti-cheat technologies that require direct access to hardware or kernel-level system components. Because Windows runs in a virtual machine, certain anti-cheat solutions may prevent games from launching or connecting to online services. This limitation is most commonly associated with anti-cheat platforms such as Riot Vanguard, Easy Anti-Cheat (EAC), BattlEye, and other systems used by competitive online games. Compatibility varies by game and anti-cheat implementation, so we recommend reviewing the game's system requirements and support documentation before installing.
Check Compatibility Before Installing
Before installing a game, review its system requirements and compatibility information. Performance and compatibility can vary depending on graphics requirements, Windows on ARM support, and anti-cheat implementation.
Transform your Mac into a Windows dynamic gaming device
No longer do we have to accept “Macs aren’t made for gaming” as a fact; Parallels Desktop has changed everything by transforming our machines into high-powered gaming devices.
The power of your Mac’s hardware to play Windows-only games seamlessly
Parallels Desktop leverages the power of your Mac's hardware within your Mac that can play Windows-only games seamlessly.
Play more, wait less with enhanced performance capabilities
Whether it's allocating specific resources such as CPU cores or RAM or fine-tuning graphics memory settings - you have control over every aspect so you can get the most out of your machine while playing those favorite PC games!
Play Windows games on your Mac with Parallels Desktop in just a few minutes
Download Parallels Desktop
Download and install Parallels Desktop on your Mac.
Install Windows
Once installed, set up a new virtual machine and install Windows.
Launch game
After installing Windows, you can install your favorite PC games just as you would on a regular Windows PC.
Why choose Parallels Desktop to play PC games on Mac
Seamless experience
Optimize your gaming performance based on individual preferences and game requirements.
No hardware purchase required
Upgrade and personalize your gaming spaces without needing to purchase a separate PC.
Faster load times
Don’t sacrifice performance. Allocate CPU cores or RAM – you have control over every aspect.
Steadier gameplay with next-gen framerate
Instantly get unparalleled load times, heightened visuals, and steadier framerates*.
*Framerates vary by game
Windows-only games compatibility
Create a Windows OS environment on your Mac with a virtual machine.
Flexibility between two operating systems
Switch between two operating systems and enjoy all the Windows-compatible games and other favorite apps without rebooting.
Start gaming on your Mac with Parallels Desktop
Get your hands on Parallels Desktop and bring a world full of amazing PC games to your Mac.
With Parallels Desktop, you can level up your Mac game and enjoy a variety of PC titles. Exceptions may exist due to certain hardware requirements and differences in the software ecosystems; still, it is possible to play many PC games on a MacBook Pro or Air with Parallels Desktop (with some potential challenges due to architectural differences if you have a newer Mac with Apple silicon).
Parallels Desktop currently supports DirectX graphics up to version 11 and OpenGL up to version 4.1, which expands the possibilities for playing PC games on a Mac.
Note that anti-cheat software functionality may be limited in Parallels Desktop’s virtualized environment.
While Parallels Desktop has expanded the possibilities for playing Windows games on a Mac, some incompatibilities still exist. Continuous improvements and updates are being made to further bridge the gap between Mac and Windows.
If there's a specific game that demands components not supported by Apple devices, it won't be playable — no matter how great your setup is! It's always wise to double-check system specs before launching any title on your machine and ensure both Parallels Desktop and macOS are running their latest updates for optimal compatibility and performance.
Parallels Desktop serves as a compatibility layer that bridges the gap between Mac and Windows, enabling Mac users to enjoy PC games seamlessly.
It translates Windows commands into something understandable and executable within the Mac system. You can launch those high-end titles with all their demanding graphics and gameplay features.
That way, gamers can enjoy their favorite titles without dealing with sluggish performance issues or compatibility problems. Parallels Desktop takes care of everything in the background — like a sidekick for your gaming adventures.
Mac computers are compatible with Windows through virtualization software like Parallels Desktop. Parallels Desktop allows you to create a virtual machine on your Mac, enabling you to install and run the Windows operating system alongside macOS. This allows you to access all of those cool PC games plus any other applications that only work in Windows environments.
Before diving in, though, double-check that your Mac meets the requirements of Parallels Desktop — you’ve got the necessary amount of RAM, storage space available, and one of the recommended versions of macOS. If all looks good, enjoy a whole new world of Windows from your Mac.
Yes, you can run many Windows games on a Mac using virtualization software like Parallels Desktop.
Parallels Desktop allows Mac users to install and run Windows alongside macOS in a virtual machine. Once Windows is installed, you can download and play many Windows games just like you would on a PC. Parallels supports DirectX graphics acceleration and Apple silicon optimization, which enables a wide range of popular games to run on modern Mac devices.
Performance will depend on the Mac’s hardware, the version of Windows installed, and the game’s system requirements.
Yes, it is possible to play PC games on a Mac with the help of virtualization software.
With Parallels Desktop, Mac users can run Windows applications and games without rebooting their computer. After installing Windows in a virtual machine, you can access PC gaming platforms like Steam, Epic Games Store, or Battle.net and play compatible titles directly on your Mac.
While not every high-end game is optimized for macOS or virtualization, many popular PC games run smoothly on modern Macs, especially those with Apple silicon processors and sufficient RAM and graphics resources.
Many popular Windows games run successfully on Macs using Parallels Desktop, including GTA V, Rocket League, Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition, Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition, Minecraft, and others. Compatibility depends on graphics requirements, anti-cheat software, and Windows on ARM support.
No. Parallels Desktop allows you to run Windows alongside macOS, so you can launch and play supported Windows games without rebooting your Mac. You can switch between Mac applications and Windows games seamlessly, making it easy to game and work on the same device.
Yes. After installing Windows with Parallels Desktop, you can download and install Steam just as you would on a Windows PC. Many popular Steam games run on Mac through Parallels Desktop, including strategy, simulation, RPG, and action titles. Compatibility and performance vary by game, graphics requirements, Windows on Arm support, and anti-cheat technologies, so we recommend reviewing each game's system requirements before installation.
Some multiplayer games use anti-cheat technologies that are not compatible with virtual machines. This may prevent the game from launching or connecting to online services.
Parallels Desktop currently supports DirectX 11. Some DirectX 12 games may not run or may have limited functionality depending on the game's requirements.
Use the Games Only Profile, allocate sufficient CPU and memory resources, keep Windows and Parallels Desktop updated, and review game-specific requirements before installation.