How to Play Windows-Only Steam Games on Mac (February 2016)

[serebit]

You might have already seen this guide to playing Windows Steam games on Mac, by NHRoccodog. This is not that guide. This method will allow you to play Windows-only Steam games on your iMac as if they were Mac games, with no difference in performance at all . Here's how it works:

First, download this file [shareplace.com] (no malware, I promise) , and this file [wineskin.urgesoftware.com] (no malware there either, I promise) . Note that the steam.exe installer may not work, as it did not work for me, but the .msi installer that I uploaded worked for me.

Next, unzip the downloaded .zip file, and open up Wineskin Winery. The window that opens should have a list of engines for download. Download and install the latest one (no admin password required). Once you have done this, click "Create New Blank Wrapper". Name the file "Steam" (Wineskin will include the .app extension for you). Give it some time to build the app. You should find a "Wineskin" folder in the folder that you put Wineskin Winery in.

Inside the Wineskin folder, you'll find "Steam.app". Right click it and select "Show Contents". A finder window will pop up with a "Contents" folder. Double click that, then double click the item labeled "Wineskin.app".

Inside will be a window with a button that says "Install Software". Click that button, then select "Choose Setup Executable". In the Finder window that pops up, select "SteamInstall.msi", the file that you downloaded from me. The Steam installation wizard will pop up, and lead you through the install process. This may take a while, so sit tight. Even when it looks like it's not doing anything (for example, 0% progress after a full minute), it's doing something.

Once the Steam installation completes, a dialog box may come up that says "No executable was found.", and a dropdown list of executables in the wrapper. Select "Steam.exe". Now you can exit Wineskin.

Once it's done, you can now download and install Windows Steam games and play them all you want! I'd recommend using the Mac Steam client to buy games, and the Wineskin Steam client to download and play the Windows games.

In case your game acts weird, reopen Wineskin.app under the Steam app contents and try changing these settings:
- Go to Advanced Settings, then Tools, then Config Utility. At the bottom of the window that opens up, you'll see a list of Windows operating systems you can emulate. Change these around until you find one that suits you.
- Go to Advanced Settings, then Options. Change any one of these. They all change certain things, which can be undone easily.
- Go to Advanced Settings, then Screen Options. If your mouse is acting weird while playing a game, like Call of Duty: World at War did for me, try changing the setting to "Override", and select "Rootless" or "Fullscreen". You'll have to use the keyboard shortcut Command-Q to exit the fullscreen virtual desktop, though.

And that's it! Have fun, and reply to this post if you have comments or concerns.

[Cоsмоиaцт ⭑]

I've found a fix for myself: if your steam wrapper either won't open or doesn't work, try this--

Steam got an update around June 10th or so, which managed to break the current wine version.
What I did was that I downloaded Wineskin winery and had to install Wineskin test version 2.12.


To do this, open Wineskin Winery and click on the '+' icon; it should be near the middle left of the window that pops up when you open winery. You'll want to click on the dropdown menu and select WS9WineStaging2.12, and then hit the blue glowing 'download and install' button.

Then you'll want to navigate to your wineskin steam wrapper and open it, and hit advanced. From there, navigate to the 'Tools' tab near the top of the window, and hit 'change engine used', under the Wrapper Tools column to the right of the screen. Select the WS9WineStaging2.12 option from the dropdown menu, hit okay, and the wrapper should construct itself and operate normally.

[Uncle Jim]

I got through all the steps until opening the Steam app in the Wineskin folder. Each time I try to run the Steam app, it tries to open (the bar at the top of my screen shows Steam Edit Window Help), but then after about 20 seconds, it just stops and closes itself.
I'm on a Macbook Air from 2012.

[doremyy]

Originally posted by Uncle Jim:

I got through all the steps until opening the Steam app in the Wineskin folder. Each time I try to run the Steam app, it tries to open (the bar at the top of my screen shows Steam Edit Window Help), but then after about 20 seconds, it just stops and closes itself.
I'm on a Macbook Air from 2012.

same issue, 2011 iMac.

[Cоsмоиaцт ⭑]

Originally posted by ABitOfPeppermint:

Originally posted by Uncle Jim:

I got through all the steps until opening the Steam app in the Wineskin folder. Each time I try to run the Steam app, it tries to open (the bar at the top of my screen shows Steam Edit Window Help), but then after about 20 seconds, it just stops and closes itself.
I'm on a Macbook Air from 2012.

same issue, 2011 iMac.

Have you tried downloading and updating the wrapper to the latest version of Wine? I've made instructions for it in one of the posts above.

[Jorseff]

Same issue as Uncle Jim here, even using the latest version of Wine. Steam opens correctly the first time and automatically downloads the update, then it doesn't open again.

[AllieTheGreat]

I did what 6teSLR said and am having the same issue as UncleJim. I did a test run and it spit out this: (I know little about coding but it does say ERROR in there!)

Any help would be very appreciated!

LastRunWineLog

fixme:ver:GetCurrentPackageId (0x32e4c0 0x0): stub
fixme:process:ProcessIdToSessionId Unsupported for other processes.
fixme:winsock:set_dont_fragment IP_DONTFRAGMENT for IPv4 not supported in this platform
fixme:ntdll:EtwEventRegister ({47a9201e-73b0-42ce-9821-7e134361bc6f}, 0x3f006650, 0x3f041d28, 0x3f041d20) stub.
fixme:ntdll:EtwEventRegister ({58a9201e-73b0-42ce-9821-7e134361bc70}, 0x3f006650, 0x3f041d60, 0x3f041d58) stub.
fixme:ntdll:EtwEventRegister ({3fa9201e-73b0-43fe-9821-7e145359bc6f}, 0x3f006650, 0x3f041cf0, 0x3f041ce8) stub.
fixme:ntdll:EtwEventRegister ({1432afee-73b0-42ce-9821-7e134361b433}, 0x3f006650, 0x3f041d98, 0x3f041d90) stub.
fixme:ntdll:EtwEventRegister ({4372afee-73b0-42ce-9821-7e134361b519}, 0x3f006650, 0x3f041dd0, 0x3f041dc8) stub.
fixme:ver:GetCurrentPackageId (0x33f044 0x0): stub
fixme:winsock:set_dont_fragment IP_DONTFRAGMENT for IPv4 not supported in this platform
fixme:ntdll:EtwEventUnregister (deadbeef) stub.
fixme:ntdll:EtwEventUnregister (deadbeef) stub.
fixme:ntdll:EtwEventUnregister (deadbeef) stub.
fixme:ntdll:EtwEventUnregister (deadbeef) stub.
fixme:ntdll:EtwEventUnregister (deadbeef) stub.


LastRunX11.log

WineskinX11: main(): argc=12
Waiting for startup parameters via Mach IPC.
WineskinX11: do_start_x11_server(): argc=12
Attempting to use pixel depth of 24
[1597457.668] WineskinX11 starting:
[1597457.668] X.Org X Server 1.13.0
[1597457.668] Build Date: 20120921
[1597457.668] _XSERVTransmkdir: ERROR: euid != 0,directory /tmp/.X11-unix will not be created.
[1597457.670] Initializing built-in extension Generic Event Extension
[1597457.670] Initializing built-in extension SHAPE
[1597457.670] Initializing built-in extension MIT-SHM
[1597457.670] Initializing built-in extension XInputExtension
[1597457.670] Initializing built-in extension XTEST
[1597457.670] Initializing built-in extension BIG-REQUESTS
[1597457.670] Initializing built-in extension SYNC
[1597457.670] Initializing built-in extension XKEYBOARD
[1597457.670] Initializing built-in extension XC-MISC
[1597457.670] Initializing built-in extension XINERAMA
[1597457.670] Initializing built-in extension PseudoramiX
[1597457.670] Initializing built-in extension XFIXES
[1597457.670] Initializing built-in extension RENDER
[1597457.670] Initializing built-in extension RANDR
[1597457.670] Initializing built-in extension DAMAGE
[1597457.670] Initializing built-in extension MIT-SCREEN-SAVER
[1597457.670] Initializing built-in extension DOUBLE-BUFFER
[1597457.670] Initializing built-in extension RECORD
[1597457.670] Initializing built-in extension X-Resource
[1597457.670] Initializing built-in extension XVideo
[1597457.670] Initializing built-in extension XVideo-MotionCompensation
[1597457.670] Initializing built-in extension GLX
[1597457.671] x: 0, y: 0, w: 1440, h: 877
[1597457.686] (II) GLX: Initialized Core OpenGL GL provider for screen 0
[1597457.687] [dix] Could not init font path element /opt/X11/share/fonts/75dpi, removing from list!
[1597457.687] [dix] Could not init font path element /opt/X11/share/fonts/100dpi, removing from list!
[1597457.687] [dix] Could not init font path element /opt/X11/share/fonts/cyrillic, removing from list!
[1597457.687] [dix] Could not init font path element /opt/X11/share/fonts/misc, removing from list!
[1597457.687] [dix] Could not init font path element /opt/X11/share/fonts/OTF, removing from list!
[1597457.687] [dix] Could not init font path element /opt/X11/share/fonts/Speedo, removing from list!
[1597457.687] [dix] Could not init font path element /opt/X11/share/fonts/TTF, removing from list!
[1597457.687] [dix] Could not init font path element /opt/X11/share/fonts/Type1, removing from list!
[1597457.687] [dix] Could not init font path element /opt/X11/share/fonts/util, removing from list!
[1597457.793] noPseudoramiXExtension=0, pseudoramiXNumScreens=1
Engine Used: WS9Wine2.12
Hardware:

Hardware Overview:

Model Name: MacBook Pro
Model Identifier: MacBookPro13,1
Processor Name: Intel Core i5
Processor Speed: 2 GHz
Number of Processors: 1
Total Number of Cores: 2
L2 Cache (per Core): 256 KB
L3 Cache: 4 MB
Memory: 8 GB
Boot ROM Version: MBP131.0205.B22
SMC Version (system): 2.36f97

Graphics/Displays:

Intel Iris Graphics 540:

Chipset Model: Intel Iris Graphics 540
Type: GPU
Bus: Built-In
VRAM (Dynamic, Max): 1536 MB
Vendor: Intel (0x8086)
Device ID: 0x1926
Revision ID: 0x000a
Metal: Supported
Displays:
Color LCD:
Display Type: Built-In Retina LCD
Resolution: 2560 x 1600 Retina
Pixel Depth: 32-Bit Color (ARGB8888)
Main Display: Yes
Mirror: Off
Online: Yes
Rotation: Supported
Automatically Adjust Brightness: Yes
Connection Type: DisplayPort

[AllieTheGreat]

GUYS I FIGURED IT OUT. I used WS9WineStaging2.12. The newer version does not work, idk why.

Unfortunately it still won't let me download "What Remains of Edith Finch", but I can play windows games I've already downloaded.

If someone can figure out how to download "What Remains of Edith Finch" I will love you forever.

[Cоsмоиaцт ⭑]

Originally posted by AllieTheGreat:

GUYS I FIGURED IT OUT. I used WS9WineStaging2.12. The newer version does not work, idk why.

Unfortunately it still won't let me download "What Remains of Edith Finch", but I can play windows games I've already downloaded.

If someone can figure out how to download "What Remains of Edith Finch" I will love you forever.

That's exactly what I said to use though--but I'm glad that you've got it working again ^^

I'll edit my post so it says that winestaging2.12 is the only one that works.

[perezwilliam108]

is this easier than downloading windows 10 and bootcamping because i am currently in the process of downloading windows 10 so i can play skyrim

[perezwilliam108]

i have another 6 hours to download so id be more than happy to find an easier route

[Cоsмоиaцт ⭑]

It's easier in a sense, but as you can see, it also has the potential to be a bit unstable, and no game is 100% guaranteed to work. If you've already got bootcamp, sticking with it is probably your best bet.

[utenanicoletta]

So......I really hate to do this, but I'm having a hard time digging through all of the replies. ^^;

This seems to work fine, except that every time I quit, I can't restart it again without going to wineskin, selecting "install software", and re-selecting the SteamInstall.msi file. It then asks whether I want to uninstall or repair the file....I select repair, and it gives me a couple of error messages (something about "failed to add firewall exceptions"), but then says "Steam has been successfully installed". It then spends a bit updating Steam and claims "the program steamwebhelper.exe has encountered a series problem and needs to close". But then steam seems to open as normal.

Like, basically, this seems to be working fine....it just seems like a bit of a clunky workaround, and it feels like I might've done something wrong. Any suggestions?

And I'm sorry if this has been covered before, this is just my first time getting something like this to work ^^;

[XIKOHL]

Originally posted by silk- rope 52:

doesn't work for a mac sorry...... but theres an answer..... buy the games you want from the app store better games there....
sorry to say but can't convert games on steam to mac doesn't work at all.... until the games can work from steam its self, then steam have to do that then. they have to come up with a program from steam for you to buy then.

Actually i did this and it's working fine for me. Maybe your did a step wrong or didn't get the wine app. Wine is also required for this

[trix]

i like pancakes

[lejajenn]

I'm having issues downloading Age of Mythology. It downloads fine but when I go to open the game a black screen is all that appears. The music for the game begins and my cursor changes to the AoE cursor, but nothing else happens. Any suggestions?