Is it possible to play The Forest on Mac?
The Forest is a survival horror game developed by Endnight Games, first released in 2014. Set in an open-world environment, the game places players in the role of a lone survivor of a plane crash on a mysterious, heavily forested peninsula. The primary objective is to survive by building shelters, crafting weapons, and gathering resources while fending off cannibalistic mutants that inhabit the island. The game is known for its dynamic weather system and day-night cycle, which adds to the immersive experience. Players can explore the vast landscape, uncovering hidden caves and discovering the island’s dark secrets. The game also features a cooperative multiplayer mode, allowing players to team up with friends to tackle the challenges together. The Forest’s graphics and sound design contribute to its eerie atmosphere, making it a favorite among horror game enthusiasts. The developers have continuously updated the game, adding new content and improvements based on player feedback. The crafting system is intricate, requiring players to combine various materials to create tools and weapons essential for survival. Additionally, the game includes a storyline that players can follow, providing a deeper narrative experience. As of now, “The Forest” is not natively compatible with macOS, but players can use workarounds such as Boot Camp, CrossOver, Parallels or cloud gaming to play it on Mac systems. Choose what will work best for you depending on your Mac system.
Play The Forest on Mac with CrossOver
CrossOver, developed by CodeWeavers, is a Windows compatibility layer for macOS, ChromeOS, and Linux. It enables many Windows-based applications to run on these operating systems without virtualization. Though compatibility layers can be tricky to work with, CrossOver in particular includes user-friendly configuration tools, automated installation scripts, and technical support. Unlike Parallels Desktop, CrossOver supports DirectX12 games. All things considered, this is a relatively easy way to run Windows software and games on non-Windows devices. As such, you may be able to play The Forest on Mac using CrossOver.
Please note that not all games are supported by CrossOver. For example, online games that use anti-cheat software, are often incompatible. You may check your game’s compatibility by using the official compatibility database, or by using CrossOver’s free trial.
Play The Forest on Mac with Parallels
The Forest does not require lots of PC resources, so if you have a decent Mac configuration you can install Windows on Mac with help of Parallels Desktop. This is software for Windows virtualization on Mac with the full support of DirectX and GPUs. It allows you to install Windows 10 on Mac with a couple of clicks and switch between MacOS and Windows instantly. You can run Windows just like on a regular PC, install Steam and enjoy The Forest game on Mac.
Note: Recommended devices to run resource-demanding games: MacBook Pro (models with Intel processor, discrete graphics cards, and 16 GB of RAM or more), iMac (models with Intel processor, discrete graphics cards, and 16 GB of RAM or more), iMac Pro (all versions are suitable), Mac Pro (all versions are suitable). Parallels on Mac computers with M1 (M1 Pro, M1 Max) chips may not support recent games. Games that require DirectX 12 and later currently not supported by Parallels.
Play The Forest on Mac with Boosteroid or Nvidia GeForce Now
Update: Boosteroid and Nvidia GeForce Now fully support The Forest! Play the advanced game on an old Windows PC, Mac and Android!
If you have an old Mac, or it cannot satisfy The Forest game system requirements, there is an easy solution. Cloud gaming provides you with sufficient cloud resources for a fixed fee. All you need is a small client program and a good internet connection starting from 15 MBits/s. There are several great services, that provide such an opportunity, among the best are Boosteroid, AirGPU, and Nvidia GeForce Now. All three services have The Forest in their game catalog, and you can play on any Mac computer (starting from MacOS 10.10) and even Android! Boosteroid and Nvidia support a higher resolution (1080p), but this requires a better internet connection. Nvidia GeForce Now can even stream 4k if the game and your display support it.
Play The Forest on Mac with BootCamp
Note: Mac computers with new Apple Silicon (M1, M2, M3 Pro, or M1, M2, M3 Max) currently do not support BootCamp. In this case, please, use the options above to run The Forest on Mac
This method is simple but time-consuming. You need to set up a dual boot of Windows and Mac via BootCamp. BootCamp allows users to choose the system to work in on startup, however, you won’t be able to switch between systems like in Parallels. You will need to reboot your machine every time you switch from Mac to Windows and vice versa. Remember that Mac is just a computer, that uses common processors, RAM, disks, and other components. So you can install Windows on Mac by allocating disc space of a minimum of 64 Gb (to be able to run Windows and a couple of games). To set up Windows via BootCamp, please, do the following:
For OS X El Capitan 10.11 or later
Mention, that for MacOS versions prior to OS X El Capitan 10.11 you will need to create bootable Windows USB.
- Download Windows ISO file
- Open Boot Camp Assistant (Go to Applications > Utilities)
- Define the Windows partition size, choose downloaded Windows ISO file
- Format Windows partition and go through all Windows installation steps
- When Windows boots for the first time, follow on-screen instructions to install Boot Camp and Windows support software (drivers)