Is it possible to play Path of Exile 2 on Mac?
Path of Exile 2 emerges as a compelling sequel in the action RPG genre, building on the legacy of its predecessor with enhanced gameplay and an ambitious scope. Players are drawn into a dark fantasy world where they navigate through six planned acts, currently offering three in its early access stage, while battling hordes of enemies and confronting formidable bosses. Its intricate buildcrafting is a standout feature, with a complex skill tree boasting over 1,500 passive perks that demand strategic planning and experimentation. This depth, coupled with procedurally generated maps, ensures high replayability and keeps players engaged as they seek the perfect combination of skills and equipment. Despite its early access status, the game offers a surprisingly fleshed-out endgame with the Atlas map, providing endless content and challenges for dedicated adventurers. Combat feels dynamic, with features like dodge-rolling and WASD support adding an action-packed layer to the gameplay, keeping it fresh and competitive against other titles in the genre. While it sticks to familiar storytelling tropes, the character interactions and world-building add charm and intrigue to the unfolding narrative. The game’s popularity is fueled not only by its challenging gameplay but also by its promise of continual updates and refinements, drawing in both seasoned players and newcomers. However, its loot system has received criticism for being overly stingy, which Grinding Gear Games will hopefully address in future updates. For Mac users eager to dive into this expansive world, running Path of Exile 2 is possible through compatibility layers or virtual machines, though native support is not yet available, which means performance and experience may vary based on the method used.
Play Path of Exile 2 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 Path of Exile 2 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 Path of Exile 2 on Mac with cloud gaming services
If you have an old Mac or it cannot satisfy Path of Exile 2 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 fast internet connection. There are several great platforms that provide these services; the best ones are Boosteroid, Xbox Cloud, AirGPU, and NVidia GeForce NOW. Nvidia GeForce Now can stream games with high resolution (1080p), every service has its pros and cons..
Play Path of Exile 2 on Mac with BootCamp
Note: Mac computers with Apple Silicon chips (M1, M2, M3, M4, or M1, M2, M3, M4) do not support BootCamp. In this case, please, use the options above to run Path of Exile 2 on Mac
This method is simple but time-consuming. If your Mac meets all the system requirements above, you can play Path of Exile 2 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)