Is it possible to play Nightingale on Mac?
Nightingale is an open-world survival crafting game developed by Inflexion Games, set in a gaslamp fantasy universe. It is designed for PvE play and can be enjoyed solo or cooperatively with friends. The game is set in an alternate history Victorian era where players, known as Realmwalkers, are stranded beyond our world due to the collapse of the arcane portal network. The goal is to survive, explore, and eventually find a way to the mythical city of Nightingale. The storyline of Nightingale revolves around players navigating through an interconnected network of realms filled with magical creatures known as Fae. Guided by a mysterious figure named Puck, players embark on a perilous journey towards the heart of the Fae realm. The immediate focus is on day-to-day survival, which includes building shelters, gathering materials, and crafting tools. As players progress, they can use the portal network to transport themselves to new realms, each with unique resources and challenges. Nightingale is currently available for Windows PC only and can be purchased from Steam or the Epic Games Store. It is not natively playable on Mac or MacBook. However, Mac users have the option to play Nightingale using GeForce Now, a cloud gaming service by Nvidia that allows streaming of games on various devices, including Mac, iPad, and smartphones. There are also some other options available, read this article to learn methods to run Windows games on Mac.
System Requirements
| Minimal | Recommended |
|---|---|
| OS: Windows 10 (64-bit) (Windows 10 version 1909 (revision 18363.1350 or greater). Version 2004 (revision 19041.789 or greater). Version 20H2 (revision 19042.789 or greater)) | OS: Windows 10 (64-bit) (Windows 10 version 1909 (revision 18363.1350 or greater). Version 2004 (revision 19041.789 or greater). Version 20H2 (revision 19042.789 or greater)) |
| Processor: Intel Core i5-4430 | Processor: Intel Core i5-8600 |
| Memory: 16 GB RAM | Memory: 16 GB RAM |
| Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060, Radeon RX 580 or Intel Arc A580 | Graphics: GeForce RTX 2060 Super / Radeon RX 5700XT |
| DirectX: Version 12 | DirectX: Version 12 |
| Storage: 70 GB available space (SSD) | Storage: 70 GB available space (SSD) |
Play Nightingale on Mac with Parallels
One easy way to play Nightingale on Mac is by using a program called Parallels Desktop. This program is capable of creating and running virtual machines that run Windows and support hardware acceleration. In simpler terms, Parallels Desktop allows you to install Windows 10 on Mac with just a couple of clicks and switch between MacOS and Windows instantly. So you will be able to run Windows, install Steam (or Epic Games Store, or any other launcher for that matter), and enjoy the Nightingale game on Mac just like on a regular PC. Generally speaking, you will need an iMac Pro or a Mac Pro to run demanding games. However, if the game you’re trying to run is old, or simply doesn’t demand much from computer hardware, then you will likely be able to run it on any Mac computer, including MacBook Air. When it comes to games in-between, it is recommended to consider your Mac’s hardware specifications instead of thinking in terms of its model.
Please note that not all games are supported by Parallels Desktop. Several conditions must be met for the game to be playable. Your Mac must exceed minimum system requirements for the game. Playing a game on Windows running through Parallels places additional strain on your Mac, so meeting them is not enough. Games that require DirectX12 are currently not supported by Parallels. Online games that use anti-cheat software may be incompatible as well. If your Mac has an Apple Silicon chip (such as M1, M2, or M3), you may experience issues playing modern games. AppsOnMac recommends using Parallels’ free trial feature to determine whether you can run the game or not if you’re uncertain.
Play Nightingale 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 Nightingale 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 Nightingale on Mac with cloud gaming services
If you have an old Mac or it cannot satisfy Nightingale game system requirements, there is an easy solution. Cloud gaming services will be happy to provide you with sufficient computing power – though not for free, of course. All you need is a browser or a small client program and a good internet connection starting from 15 MBit/s. There are several great platforms that provide these services; the best ones are Boosteroid, Xbox Cloud, AirGPU, and NVidia GeForce NOW. Out of these, we recommend AirGPU as it can be used to play any Windows game, including Nightingale.
Play Nightingale on Mac with BootCamp
Note: Mac computers with Apple Silicon chips (M1, M2, M3 Pro, or M1, M2, M3 Max) do not support BootCamp. In this case, please, use the options above to run Nightingale on Mac
This method is simple but time-consuming. If your Mac meets all the system requirements above, you can play Nightingale on Mac by installing Windows. You need to set up a dual boot of Windows and Mac via BootCamp. This is an application that 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 want to switch from Mac to Windows and vice versa. Remember that Mac is just a computer, in the end. And while newer Macs have their own special Apple Silicon chips that cannot run Windows, older Macs are very much similar to computers that run Windows, they have Intel processors, compatible RAM, disks, and other components. So you can install Windows on an older Mac by allocating no less than 64 GB of disk space (to be able to run Windows and a couple of games) and following these steps:
For MacOS versions prior to OS X El Capitan 10.11 you will need to create a bootable Windows USB.
- Download this Windows ISO file.
- Open Boot Camp Assistant (Go to Applications > Utilities).
- Define the Windows partition size and choose the Windows ISO file you’ve downloaded.
- Format the 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)