Is it possible to play Returnal on Mac?
Returnal is a third-person roguelike shooter brought to gamers by Housemarque and Sony Interactive Entertainment. In this sci-fi video game combined with horror elements, players will have to explore and uncover the secrets of a mysterious alien planet called Atropos in the role of a space pilot named Selene who got stuck there as a result of an accident crash-landing. Turns out the planet has put the perception of time into a constant loop, repeatedly sending Selene back to the crash site each time she dies. Being in this, at first glance, hopeless situation, the character has to get through a number of challenges, including intense and compromising fights with various enemies, solving riddles and puzzles, uncovering hidden secrets as well as overcoming other obstacles that await further on this fascinating and at the same time horrific Atropos planet. During the whole gameplay, players will have to find new artifacts and gain upgrades, improving the character’s abilities and helping Selene discover the answers she needs. In Returnal developers have made a strong focus on narrative, featuring Selene’s story through cutscenes and in-game interactions with the environment – all of this along with eye-stunning graphics and immersive sound affects maintaining a constant sense of dread and tension. With its procedurally generated levels, interesting plot, and deep combat system, Returnal is sure to provide hours of replayable gameplay for those who are up to the challenge. And although this gaming masterpiece is officially available to play only on PlayStation 5 and Windows, we know a couple of methods to launch and play it on macOS too – at the same graphics and immersion quality level! Read our article below to learn how.
System Requirements
| Minimal | Recommended |
|---|---|
| OS: Windows 10 (64-bit) | OS: Windows 10 (64-bit) |
| Processor: Intel Core i5-6400 (4 core 2.7GHz) AMD Ryzen 5 1500X (4 core 3.5GHz) | Processor: Intel i7-8700 (6 core 3.7 GHz) AMD Ryzen 7 2700X (8 core 3.7 GHz) |
| RAM: 16 GB | RAM: 16 GB |
| Video card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 (6 GB) AMD Radeon RX 580 (8 GB) | Video card: NVIDIA RTX 2070 Super (8 GB) AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT (12 GB) |
| Storage: 60 GB | Storage: 60 GB on an SSD |
Play Returnal on Mac with Parallels
Returnal requires lots of PC resources, but if you have a powerful Mac computer (iMac, iMac Pro, or Mac Pro) Parallels Desktop can be a solution. This is an application that allows for Windows virtualization on Mac with the full support of DirectX and GPUs. In simpler terms, what this means is that it 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), and enjoy the Returnal game on Mac just like on a regular PC.
Please note that not all games are supported by Parallels. Several conditions must be met for the game to be playable. Your Mac must exceed minimum system requirements for the game; meeting them is not enough. Generally speaking, you will need an iMac Pro or a Mac Pro to run demanding games. Some MacBook Pro and iMac models are also suitable; they must have an Intel processor, a discrete graphics card and at least 16 GB of RAM. If your Mac has an Apple Silicon chip (such as M1, M2, M3), you may experience issues playing modern games. Games that require DirectX 12 are currently not supported by Parallels. AppsOnMac recommends using Parallels’ free trial feature to determine whether you can run the game or not if you’re uncertain.
Play Returnal on Mac with cloud gaming services
If you have an old Mac or it cannot satisfy the Returnal 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, among the best are Boosteroid, Xbox Cloud Gaming, and Nvidia GeForce Now. As Boosteroid has Returnal in its game library, it is an excellent choice for those seeking to try the game out.
Play Returnal 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 Returnal on Mac
This method is simple but time-consuming. If your Mac meets all the system requirements above, you can play Returnal 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 OS X El Capitan 10.11 and older
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)