Play more Windows games on the Mac with the new CrossOver 24

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in Mac Software edited February 22

The newly updated CrossOver 24 fixes Windows games from "Anno 1800" to "Planet Zoo" that previously would not run on the Mac.

Windows games running on Apple Silicon
Windows games running on Apple Silicon



CrossOver is a Windows compatibility layer for macOS and Linux, which is designed to let Mac users run both productivity apps and games. This newest version includes general fixes to how CrossOver can be used, but concentrates on games.

"For our Mac users, CrossOver 24 includes fixes for many games," said the company in a statement. "Planet Zoo now runs again after the latest game update, the Warframe standalone launcher now works, The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth no longer crashes, Mafia: Definitive Edition now runs, Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition multiplayer works again, and Horizon Zero Dawn and Anno 1800 now work well out of the box."

"We are continuing to make improvements so that CrossOver is as user-friendly as possible," it continues. "To that end, CrossOver 24 includes a few highly-requested UI updates."

"You can now drag and drop executables into CrossOver to either run or install them," say the developers. "We also added the ability to change the directory where your bottles are stored, which is especially helpful for users who want to store large Windows applications on an external drive."

CrossOver 24 requires macOS 10.13 on Apple Silicon, and is available direct from the developer.



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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 9
    brianldbrianld Posts: 6member
    Is there a promo code needed to get the $24 pricing?  It's showing as $74 when I visit their site.
    edited February 22 watto_cobra
  • Reply 2 of 9
    schlackschlack Posts: 720member
    $24 per YEAR. SMH. Uh, no.
    williamlondonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 9
    Mike WuertheleMike Wuerthele Posts: 6,862administrator
    brianld said:
    Is there a promo code needed to get the $24 pricing?  It's showing as $74 when I visit their site.
    I'm trying to figure out where William got that. I'll reach out if I can figure it out.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 9
    MarvinMarvin Posts: 15,327moderator
    brianld said:
    Is there a promo code needed to get the $24 pricing?  It's showing as $74 when I visit their site.
    It might be the 24% off deal (which is $48):

    https://www.codeweavers.com/blog/mjohnson/2024/2/22/crossover-24-with-wine-9-in-record-time

    Code is WineNine:

    https://www.codeweavers.com/store?deal=WineNine
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 9
    gbdocgbdoc Posts: 83member
    I asked them, and here's their answer:

    "I believe the price is 24% off today (not $24.00).  I believe the promo code for the deal is:   WineNine      If you go to our website:  www.codeweavers.com/store  THEN enter the promo code in the promo code box and <click> on the arrow, you will see the discount applied before purchase.  "

    chasmwatto_cobra
  • Reply 6 of 9
    barthrhbarthrh Posts: 138member
    schlack said:
    $24 per YEAR. SMH. Uh, no.
    It doesn't stop working after a year, you just don't get updates and bug fixes. Can't imagine how they could afford to do that ongoing for $24 (or $100) one-time given the nature of what they do (support new APIs and games).
    watto_cobramichelb76
  • Reply 7 of 9
    thttht Posts: 5,452member
    So, which is the better option for games compatibility?

    Running Windows/ARM on Parallels or Crossover?

    Seems like there is more compatibility with using Windows/ARM on Macs. And of course, you can build yourself a respectable x86 PC for about $800, which is probably the best option if you spend some time playing games. 

    I used to play a lot of Age of Empires, but it does not look like CrossOver supports it. No time to play games anymore. My best option would be a RTS on iPad, but there really isn’t one. 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 8 of 9
    MarvinMarvin Posts: 15,327moderator
    tht said:
    So, which is the better option for games compatibility?

    Running Windows/ARM on Parallels or Crossover?

    Seems like there is more compatibility with using Windows/ARM on Macs. And of course, you can build yourself a respectable x86 PC for about $800, which is probably the best option if you spend some time playing games. 

    I used to play a lot of Age of Empires, but it does not look like CrossOver supports it. No time to play games anymore. My best option would be a RTS on iPad, but there really isn’t one. 
    Parallels is more compatible (for older games) but for supported games, Crossover is faster and supports DX12 games.



    At 7:25, there's a comparison with GTA V, which is almost unplayable via Parallels but fairly smooth via Crossover. However, apps sometimes use custom launchers, which aren't compatible with Crossover so they need patched.

    I'd say the handheld PCs are the easiest option:

    https://www.bestbuy.com/site/asus-rog-ally-7-120hz-fhd-1080p-gaming-handheld-amd-ryzen-z1-extreme-processor-512gb-white/6542964.p

    They can be plugged into a Mac and stream the video output. The fast one is $700. There's a slower option for $400.



    Fast one uses the following GPU and is around 50% faster than the slower one:

    https://www.notebookcheck.net/AMD-Radeon-780M-GPU-Benchmarks-and-Specs.680539.0.html

    This will play Total War, Civilization etc. Baldur's Gate 3 is a good option to play and allows saving any time (it has a native Mac version too):

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