Lack of Vulkan support is likely similar to the removal of 32-bit to encourage developers to use the technologies best suited for the platform, rather than porting them to the lowest common denominator, even if the hardware requirements of the software exceeds anything that still runs with those specifications and to pave the way for ARM devices. For most purposes, if a developer is going to have to port their DirectX code to another language, they should optimally use the language best suited to the target platform, which in this case is Metal. The lack of built in Vulkan support may effect some games, but a majority of the Steam store library uses either OpenGL or DirectX. The removal of 64-bit was both to push developers to build for current hardware, and to begin paving the pathway to Apple Silicon (ARM) Macs. Valve's own Mac games are 32-bit, and won't run on newer Macs even (despite 64-bit macOS being the norm when some of them were published).Īpple provided 64-bit Macs at least as early as 2012, but developers consistently made their applications 32-bit only, even well after games would no longer support the specifications of 32-bit Mac hardware.

Gaming on Mac is going to be less viable than Linux without Valve's support, and at this rate, it feels like Valve almost wants Steam on Mac as a whole to die. With CodeWeavers already supporting everything Proton would need in the short term, and estimating to have full ARM compatibility without Rosetta within about 2 years time (or less!), it is confusing, when the software is Open Source, to say none the least, why some form of this is not available for Proton, barring Valve purposefully pushing users to Steam Deck & Windows Machines.

Whilst Rosetta 2 isn't a 'long term' solution, CodeWeavers already plans to have functioning ARM support by the time Apple discontinues it, as mentioned in their Apple Silicon Roadmap: - They already have a version working on ARM just the performance at this time is not up to spec. NGL, whilst it is tempting, this isn't a 'solution'.įact of the matter is, Macs are more than capable of gaming, but 'perception' around them for years, along with the existence of bootcamp, has caused the market for 'gaming on Mac' to be near non-existent for a considerable time now.įor instance, Apple worked with Valve to bring SteamVR to macOS, and it was unceremoniously discontinued about a year before M1/Apple Silicon, possibly due to lack of developer support (and not even Valve supported it with Alyx).

With the supposedly 100% support for Proton in Steam Deck I think this would be crucial for macOS users to jump ship and get one if they can play the same games in their macs

Steam wrapper for mac