Playing 32 bit on 64 bit mac.

[Ivar!]

A while a go someone posted a message to me that there was a way to command the steam client to boot a 32 bit program through 64 bit steam client. I know the command is somewhere but I don't remember where it was posted. Can someone recall how to post that command in properties and what it is so that I can get back to playing those games on my mac please?!

[Cathulhu]

Apple has removed any kind of support for 32Bit apps from Mac OS starting with Mac OS 10.15 aka Catalina. Steam can not work around that.
Not sure what you've read, because it must have been complete nonsense.

[Amaruq]

Your best Mac solution (ie. not using bootcamp) is to install two operating systems on your computer. Your Mac can have two on the same drive without needing a partition. Pretty awesome. I always hated trying to decide how big to make a partition and always getting it wrong. So you can run Ventura and then the last 32 bit OS Mojave. Then just boot from Mojave when you want to play a 32 bit game.
https://www.makeuseof.com/how-to-install-two-versions-macos/

[Lugee]

There are some 32 Bit games which still work even on macOS Ventura on a M1 / Apple Silicon.
I can provide a list - shall I do it here?

[Cathulhu]

Not necessary. Those are actually 64Bit games. 32Bit apps can not be executed on M1 ARM CPUs. Rosetta can only translate 64Bit apps. Which is why Apple discontinued support for 32Bit apps back with Mac OS 10.15 aka Catalina. That was in preparation for the release of ARM based Mac computers.

[Amaruq]

I play Insurgency which is a 32 bit game on my i9 MacBook Pro running Ventura. Yes, there is a warning that the game probably will not play...but it does.

[Cathulhu]

https://steamdb.info/depot/222883/ The game clearly offers 64 Bit binaries. Seems the devs forgot to set the 64Bit flag in the configuration.

[Lugee]

Автор сообщения: Amaruq

I play Insurgency which is a 32 bit game on my i9 MacBook Pro running Ventura. Yes, there is a warning that the game probably will not play...but it does.

According to this list
https://www.macgamerhq.com/opinion/32-bit-mac-games/
the game has been updated.

So the steam "warning" is often not updated after a game got the "64-Bit update"?

[Amaruq]

Thanks for the list. Didn't know it existed. And yes given this info the steam "warning" is not updated/removed.