How to run released CS2 on macOS with Apple Silicon.

[271k]

Hello everyone. Valve released CS2, but removed macOS from the supported platforms. So I tried a lot of options to run it, and ended up with a simple & productive solution - Whisky[getwhisky.app].

So here's a quick guide:
1. Install the latest release[github.com] of Whisky from its GitHub repo & unzip it.
2. Run Whisky.app & create a new bottle using Windows 10.
3. Download Steam Setup for Windows from the official website.
4. Double-click 'SteamSetup.exe' in the downloads folder and run the basic installation.
5. Exit Steam setup and check DXVK in bottle configuration.
6. Find "Steam.exe" in "Installed programs" and run it. Then login to your Steam account and follow the CS2 installation procedure.
7. Once CS2 is installed, go to CS2 properties - general and set these launch options:

-nojoy -novid -console -low

Congratulations, you have successfully installed CS2!

Also, if you having problems with starting CS2, you can try deleting the whole CS2 config from Steam without changing the settings in the game itself, my full path to Whisky is like this, yours will probably be different:

~/Library/Containers/com.isaacmarovitz.Whisky/Bottles/B576FF7D-5318-4AD3-81E9-A1561EBCBEEF/Drive_c/Program Files (x86)/Steam/userdata/1126357694

As well, you can open C:\Program Files (x87)\[\b] from Whisky, you can click on "Open C: Drive".

Add this launch options before starting the game:

-nojoy -novid -console -low -fullscreen

Please award this guide if you found it helpful. Thank you!

[271k]

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย ---BabyDon'tHurtMe---:

I am wondered if they working. -console means open console if I am not mistaken, but actually I don't see console after launching

Yes, -console just allow you to turn console with tilda. What about your mac? What processor do you have? I playing been for around two hours and still no any bugs except corrupted sounds, that appears sometimes.

[271k]

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย K9AlphaTango:

Have you experienced any crashing issues ?

I have not, but sound is sometime distorted. That's all.

[---BabyDon'tHurtMe---]

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย daddy likes crazy girls:

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย ---BabyDon'tHurtMe---:

I am wondered if they working. -console means open console if I am not mistaken, but actually I don't see console after launching

Yes, -console just allow you to turn console with tilda. What about your mac? What processor do you have? I playing been for around two hours and still no any bugs except corrupted sounds, that appears sometimes.

I have MacBook Pro 14", 16 GB Ram, 12-Core CPU, 19-Core GPU 2023.

[thefrostypixel]

I am having some issues, can someone help me? The framerate is fine (60-80 FPS), but every time I do something for the first time after starting the game (like opening a menu, equipping a weapon, firing a shot, killing someone) it will freeze for a second or so, and I will also sometimes get a freeze frame for half a second or so when going into a new area of a map. Also the game is being rendered at a very low resolution and feels like 720p on a 4K screen. And finally all pistols and primary weapons are pitch black. The Zeus, knifes and grenades are working just fine, but the guns are black.

[271k]

Here's my current build and settings for you to compare with your own.

PC:

MacBook Pro 16.2" Apple M1 Max (10C CPU/32C GPU), 32 GB, 1 TB
OS: Sonoma 14.0

Bottle settings:

Windows version: 10.
Retina mode: Off.
ESync: Off.
DPI Scaling: 96 DPI.
DXVK: On.
DXVK Async: On.
Metal: Off.

CS2 Launch options:

-nojoy -novid -console -low

[Nich]

Hi, M2 Max user here, running a Win10 Whisky bottle using all of the launch options recommended in this discussion. I believe that preloading assets will help reduce stuttering but I am not sure if Source 2/CS2 has support for this, as they did drop cl_forcepreload on release. Let me know what you guys find.

Edit: Can't seem to get a stable experience at all right now. It tries to compile shaders on-the-fly and the game crashes only a minute into a deathmatch game, regardless of map or player count. I have even had times where my system will kernel panic because of CS2. Sucks how there isn't native MacOS support but native Linux support (for Steam Deck).

[HEX]

any ideas for intel based 5k retinas? parralel?

[Nich]

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย HEX:

any ideas for intel based 5k retinas? parralel?

Install a Windows 10 environment in Parralels/VMWare Fusion and run the game on low. You should be fine.

[---BabyDon'tHurtMe---]

I think we should just wait a bit, because people saying, that macOS version is going to be available soon

[Primuso]

FYI : Macbook Air M1 min spec can't play CS2, via Whiskey it very stuttering. but run on native when CSGO is fine and playable.

[271k]

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย ---BabyDon'tHurtMe---:

I think we should just wait a bit, because people saying, that macOS version is going to be available soon

Yup, i got response from Steam Support, where they said, that developers working on CS2 for macOS. Proof: https://imgur.com/KCFQImY

[271k]

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย Primuso:

FYI : Macbook Air M1 min spec can't play CS2, via Whiskey it very stuttering. but run on native when CSGO is fine and playable.

Do you set -nojoy in launch options?

[Sigma957]

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย ---BabyDon'tHurtMe---:

I think we should just wait a bit, because people saying, that macOS version is going to be available soon

"Yet" does not mean soon. And "looking into it" does not mean they are actually developing it for Mac. Interesting how people try to find a narrative that favors their bias.

[271k]

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย Sigma957:

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย ---BabyDon'tHurtMe---:

I think we should just wait a bit, because people saying, that macOS version is going to be available soon

"Yet" does not mean soon. And "looking into it" does not mean they are actually developing it for Mac. Interesting how people try to find a narrative that favors their bias.

Sure, whatever you say, Sigma.

[Dyadyushka_Domingo]

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย ---BabyDon'tHurtMe---:

Yes, reboot helped, but game is unplayable. Sound is distorted. Game might stuck after some minutes of playing

The same, I dont know how to fix it. VALVE, make cs2 available on Mac, please!