It is finally here! Cyberpunk 2077 is now available so you can enjoy this action role-playing video game on your PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One. But, what about the Mac? Well, here is everything you need to know about how to play Cyberpunk 2077 on Mac.
Cyberpunk 2077 Overview
Cyberpunk 2077 invites you to explore “Night City”, a fictional metropolis on America’s west coast that’s jam-packed with crime, opportunity, and anything your heart desires. Also, this game offers many cool features like extremely detailed character customization, an open world, and very high re-playability.
This high-action RPG game is created by the same developers behind the Witcher series. So, there is no doubt that Cyberpunk in-game world will be extremely good and detailed. Try the game yourself and experience the amazing world of Cyberpunk!
Can you Play Cyberpunk 2077 on Mac?
Well, Cyberpunk 2077 is one of the most anticipated games of the last decade. And, after several delays, it was finally released on 10 December 2020.
If you’re using a Mac like I’m, then it’s unfortunate to say that this game requires Windows in order to play. Also, there is no version of Cyberpunk 2077 for macOS yet. So, technically, you can’t download and play this game straight away on your Mac.
However, now it’s not a problem at all because we’ve found and tested successfully several ways to run Cyberpunk on Macs. Whether you’re using macOS Catalina, Big Sur, or High Sierra, these methods will allow you to play pretty much any top games on the Mac. Wait no more, here are the best ways to play Cyberpunk 2077 on Macs.
Play CyberPunk 2077 with GeForce Now
Now, we can confirm that Cyberpunk 2077 is coming to GeForce Now via Steam, Epic Games, and GoG.
Here is the list of Mac computers that have been tested and confirmed to support “GeForce Now” by Nvidia:
- iMac 20” Late 2009 and newer
- iMac 21.5” Late 2009 or newer
- iMac 27” Late 2012 or newer
- MacBook 2008 and newer
- MacBook Retina Mid 2017 or newer
- MacBook Air 11” Early 2015 or newer
- MacBook Air 13” Late 2008 or newer
- MacBook Pro 13” Early 2015 or newer
- MacBook Pro 15” Late 2008 or newer
- MacBook Pro 17” 2009 or newer
- Mac Pro Late 2013 or newer
How to Use GeForce Now to Play Cyberpunk 2077 on Mac
After making sure that your Mac meets all of the requirements listed above, it is time to set up the service and start playing Cyberpunk 2077.
Follow these steps to run Cyberpunk 2077 on Mac:
- Go to Nvidia site and log in or create an account if you don’t have one.
- Next, choose the type of GeForce Now subscription you prefer.
- Download the GeForce Now app to your Mac.
- Then, open GeForce Now and log in with your Nvidia account.
- Now, connect your GeForce Now to a third-party gaming library like Steam or GOG.
- Choose Cyberpunk 2077 from the game library and start it.
Note: In order to play any game via GeForce Now, you must own that game on the respective game library. On Nvidia’s website, you can find a list of all games that are supported by GeForce Now service as well as the game library from where you can purchase them.
Actually, GeForce Now is currently the best solution to run this game on macOS. All you need is to purchase its subscription. Basically, you rent a very powerful computer, which streams the game to your laptop by using this app.
Besides, don’t be afraid of stutters and freezes because the hardware of these computers can perform any game with ultra settings. However, in order for the game to run smoothly, your Internet connection needs to be fast and stable. Therefore, the back-and-forth exchange of data between your Mac and GeForce Now server is good enough for your gameplay to respond with as little lag as possible.
Internet Connection Requirements for GeForce Now
After a couple of tests, we think the network needs to be steady more than it needs to be fast. In fact, Nvidia recommends 25 Mbps for 1080p at 60fps, though in my experience you’ll need at least double of that.
On the other hand, the minimum Internet speed required to play Cyberpunk via GeForce Now is 15Mbps for 720p at 60fps. Also, using wired connections is a great way to keep your connection stable!
Play Cyberpunk 2077 on Stadia
Not long ago, Google released its new gaming platform called Stadia. It works as a cloud gaming platform where users can play games on Google’s server. On Stadia, the game performance depends directly on your internet speed. So, the faster your internet speed, the better the resolution and game running. And, the minimum internet speed required here is 35mb/s.
Overall, Google Stadia is an excellent compromise for players who don’t have an adequate PC to fully enjoy the game they like. Personally, I’ve tested the version of Cyberpunk 2077 on the Stadia Pro at 4K and it’s as great as I expected!
How to Use Stadia to Play Cyberpunk 2077 on Mac
Step 1: Go to the Stadia website, then click on the “Sign in” button at the top. Log in with your Google account or create a new one here.
Step 2: After choosing your avatar, Stadia name, and settings, subscribe to get the free trial of Stadia Pro for 1 month. This not only allows you to enjoy games in 4K but also get a 10€ discount voucher for your first game (eligible with Cyberpunk 2077).
Note: You can cancel Stadia Pro at any time and continue to enjoy the games you have purchased up to 1080p and 60 FPS.
Step 3: Now, all you have to do is go to the “Store” and find Cyberpunk 2077.
Step 4: Select the game and click on the “Buy” button.
Step 5: Next, enter your payment method. When everything is done, now you will be able to enjoy the game by clicking on the “Play” button without downloading it.
Launch Cyberpunk 2077 on Mac with Boot Camp
Boot Camp gives you an opportunity to play Cyberpunk 2077 on your macOS natively. All you need is to launch Boot Camp, then install Windows on this app. Then, you can simply open Windows, download, and run any game you want.
Unfortunately, this solution can be a bit time-consuming because Boot Camp requires a great amount of hard disk resources to work. So, you will probably need a very fast hard drive here. Therefore, we only recommend using Boot Camp if you are on a Mac with high-end dedicated video cards. Moreover, you also need to reboot your device every time you want to go back to macOS with Boot Camp.
How to Run Windows on Macs via Boot Camp
Step 1: Open Boot Camp Assistant.
When you run Boot Camp Assistant for the first time, it will prompt you with a number of options. Select the ISO image you want to use. Next, click the “Choose” button then navigate to the one you have created or downloaded. This will copy your Windows ISO file onto the USB memory stick so you can install Windows.
Step 2: Download driver software
Next, Boot Camp Assistant may tell you that it will download the driver software for Windows on to the USB memory stick. Only Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 are available here.
Step 3: Partition your drive
To allocate room for Windows, Boot Camp will split your Mac’s hard drive into two separate sections (40GB in size by default). This is shown at the bottom of the pane with the normal macOS on the left and the proposed Windows one on the right. Besides, you can use the slider control (the dot between the partitions) to adjust the size of the two parts if needed.
Step 5: Install Windows
Once it’s done, Boot Camp will shut down your Mac and launch the Windows installer program from the USB memory stick. Now, follow the prompts to install Windows.
Step 6: Run Windows
When it’s finished, you can simply switch between the macOS and Windows by pressing Option on your keyboard while turning the Mac on. You’ll see the two partitions with the macOS and Windows displayed on the screen as the Mac starts up. Simply select whichever operating system you want your Mac to boot up from.
The Bottom Line
These are not all possible options to play Cyberpunk 2077 on your favorite platform. Yes, we know these methods are not perfect. While GeForce Now can give you the best experience, it still requires a fast and stable internet connection. On the other hand, Boot Camp is quite decent, but it requires a lot of free disk space.
Also, you might have heard about Cyberpunk 2077 MacBook OS X version. But, we recommend not downloading it because even the game developer, CD Projekt Red, hasn’t released Cyberpunk 2077 on Mac yet.
In addition, Sony just pulled Cyberpunk 2077 from the PlayStation Store. So, if you want to get a refund on PS4, PS5, and Xbox One, here is our guide for Cyberpunk 2077 refund.
Have you successfully downloaded and played Cyberpunk 2077 on your Mac? Let us know in the comments!
