Elden Ring Flies! Installed Apple’s Game Porting Tool 2 and Tested New Games on MacBook Air M1

Despite the weak interest of users in AAA games on iPhone, Apple has not given up hope for the return of full-fledged Mac gaming for the second year.

Right after WWDC24, the company released the second version of its tool for running Windows games on Mac, called Game Porting Toolkit 2. tools like Whiskey and Crossover, which were originally created not for developing, but for running games on Mac.

In short, Game Porting Toolkit works on the same principle as Steam Deck, but takes into account the peculiarities of macOS. It translates the program’s instructions into a language understandable for Mac hardware. You can read more about this in my review of Crossover, the core of which partially helped create Game Porting Toolkit.

Second version of the instructions AVXwhich significantly complicate the computing processor. This set of commands is somewhat popular in modern games, but is not necessary. Therefore, for example, Elden Ring and Cyberpunk 2077 can be run on the first Game Porting Toolkit, but below, using the example of Elden Ring, as you can see, it works better with the support of the second version of the porting tool.

I’m lowering I will tell you the easiest way to install Game Porting Toolkit level 2 copy-paste and I’ll show you an example of how Mac gaming has finally become cooler even on the most basic MacBook Air with M1.

Important. iPhones.ru is not responsible for the actions you perform on your Mac. Any beta versions carry risks.

Now Game Porting Toolkit 2 is just a couple of clicks away

Last year, installing the Game Porting Toolkit required going through a long and complicated process. This time, it’s simpler.

To run the second version, you need to install the beta version of macOS Sequoia and CrossOver, which you can try for two weeks for free, although I sincerely recommend buying the version for a year. It is inexpensive, and it unlocks the capabilities of the Mac.

After installing the OS and the program, you only need to download the porting tool files from the Apple website and paste them into the desired change.

After this, games can be launched directly from CrossOver along with all the developments of the second version of the porting tool.

1. How to install macOS Sequoia beta

If decided, it is recommended to keep the state infrastructure as a more stable build. It appears later and replicates a more mature version of the system for developers.

1. Open the Apple Beta Testing Program website.
2. Click Get Started
3. Select macOS and create Get Started click Register Your Mac
4. Make a backup (optional, but recommended) and click Open Software Update.
5. In the Software Update settings section that opens, in the beta updates row, select macOS Sequoia Public beta, and then Done.
6. Once the update is ready, click Update Now.

After installing the macOS Sequoia Public Beta, install Crossover.

2. How to install CrossOver

The application is installed like a regular program downloaded from the App Store.

Go to the Codeweavers developer website and choose a free trial or buy it (just not the full version, it is more profitable to renew the subscription every year).

After you have downloaded the program, drag the CrossOver shortcut into the application. Programs on Mac. Done.

There is one last step left.

3. How to install Game Porting Toolkit 2

For the second version of the CrossOver porting tool, do the following.

1. Go to the second version of the porting tool page.
2. Click Download Game Porting Toolkit 2
3. Scroll down and in the Game Porting Toolkit 2.0 beta 2 section, click View details
4. Click Game Porting Toolkit 2.0 beta 2.dmg
5. Open the downloaded file and make changes Windows Games Evaluation Environment 2.0.dmg
6. Click Agree
7. In the open version, the Assessment Environment has been tested in redistribute > Lib > external
8. Copy the files D3DMetal.framework And libd3dshared.dylib
9. Then in the Adapter Finder, right-click on Crossover and click Show values
10. Close Crossover
11. Go to Contents/SharedSupport/CrossOver/lib64/apple_gptk/external
12. Insert copied files with replacement.

Ready!

Now you can store games in CrossOver as usual and see what works. My results are as follows.

Some games became smoother, others started working at all.

Testing the device on an M1-based MacBook Air with 16GB of unified memory.

Elden Ring works through CrossOver on macOS Sonoma almost tolerably. In empty spaces the laptop produces stable 30 frames per second, but near enemies the frame rate drops to 24 frames per second. Not a slideshow, but it is uncomfortable to play.

On macOS Sonoma with Porting Tool 2 installed, the game produces roughly the same numbers with some big differences. As you can see, the picture is smoother and the frames are rendered more evenly.

The situation with HITMAN 3 is even better. The game did not launch either through the built-in CrossOver mechanisms or through Game Porting Toolkit 1.

On the second version it started, although it is already clear that the M1’s performance after all the layers of translation is not enough for a comfortable experience.

Also earned Tear offwhich didn’t go beyond the menu screen of the first version of Porting Toolkit. Now it works smoothly with an average connection.

Here is a relevant list of games that also launched thanks to the second version of the porting tool:

Unfortunately, Read Dead Redemption 2, which I had the idea to install CrossOver on, never worked, although it does not have AVX.

It is thanks to the AVX support that some were able to run the Xbox emulator, and there is the first Red Dead Redemption. However, I have not tested it yet, checking the Game Porting Toolkit 2 took a lot of time anyway.

How are you doing with games? Have you burned out yet? Are you waiting for new releases or are you already planning to switch to Windows? Share in the comments!