Since its initial release in May 2016 for Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, Overwatch has taken the Internet by storm. Blizzard is the firm behind comparable popular games such as World of Warcraft, StarCraft, and, of course, Hearthstone.
But what about those who use a Mac? Can we join the Overwatch fray? While we wait for Blizzard to make an announcement about a Mac version, there are alternative methods to play Overwatch on your Mac – and here is where we explain how.
Why isn’t Overwatch on Mac?
The developers of Overwatch do not intend to release the game on Mac. Because of a number of technological choices made by Apple, the team behind Overwatch haven’t actively targeted their platform for the release of Overwatch. This is because of how they had want the game to be played.
You can read about the complete statement from Overwatch on Reddit.
So, a Mac version of Overwatch is not in the works. That’s why you would need a virtualization software to play Overwatch on Mac.
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Overwatch on Mac: How to Play the Game?
There are various methods to play Overwatch, and we’ll go through each one below.
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Boot Camp
Overwatch can be played on your Mac by installing Windows 10 using Boot Camp and playing the game on the Windows partition. Boot Camp is often regarded as the simplest and least expensive method to install Windows (or other operating systems) on your Mac since it is entirely free to use and comes pre-installed in macOS.
Of course, you still have to pay for a copy of Windows 10, so it’s not quite free, but you get the idea.
However, there is a drawback to Boot Camp that many people dislike: you must restart your Mac and pick the start-up disk (Windows, Mac, etc.) to access the other operating system, which means you can only run one operating system at a time and switching between the two may be time-consuming.
While many people consider this as a disadvantage of Boot Camp, we disagree: by only running one operating system at a time, your Mac can allocate all of its CPU power to the current operating system. It seems to be the superior choice for power-hungry programs and games when compared to virtualization software, which allows you to run one operating system inside another. However, there are certain advantages to using virtualization software, which we shall discuss more below.
Anyway, after you’ve installed Windows 10 through Boot Camp, you should be able to download, install, and play Overwatch as if it were a regular PC setup – though you may need to lower the graphics settings for better performance depending on the spec of your Mac.
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Parallels 12
Another alternative for Mac users is Parallels 12 for Mac, which allows access to Windows without restarting your Mac. Indeed, the beauty of Parallels 12 is that it runs as a conventional windowed Mac OS X/macOS software while also running Windows 10. However, more capability comes at a cost; unlike Boot Camp, it is not free to use.
In fact, Parallels 12 costs £64.99 for Home/Student use, which some may consider being a little pricey when you consider you still need to buy a copy of Overwatch and Windows 10, which can cost up to £99 on their own – through our sister site Tech Advisor has discovered a way to extract a Windows Product Key from an activated version of Windows.
The disadvantage of virtualization software is that it must run both macOS and Windows at the same time, which may be taxing on your Mac’s capabilities, particularly while gaming.
However, Overwatch players shouldn’t be affected too much because Parallels claims to have worked with Blizzard, the developers of Overwatch, when developing Parallels 12 so that it would run smoothly within the virtualization software, though, as we mentioned above, it will also depend on the specs of your Mac.
Once Parallels 12 is installed, just follow the on-screen directions to purchase and install Windows 10 on your Mac. After that, just download Overwatch and play!
Video Comparison of BootCamp vs Parallels for Playing Overwatch on MacBook
Recommended Mac Specifications for Overwatch
It’s important to remember that installing Windows on your Mac is just half of the answer; players must also ensure that their Mac meets the minimal Overwatch requirements, which may be found below:
- Microsoft Windows 7/8.1/10
- Processor Intel Core i3
- GeForce GTX 460/Radeon HD 4850/Intel HD Graphics 4400 Nvidia GeForce GTX 460
- 4GB RAM
- Storage capacity of 30GB
While graphics card requirements might be a problem for Mac users, the very least is an Intel HD Graphics 4400. Many current Macs have Intel HD Graphics cards that should be strong enough to run Overwatch, but we suggest double-checking your Mac’s specs before installing Windows and attempting to play the game.
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Is Overwatch free on Mac?
No Overwatch is not free on Mac. There is an annual subscription required; free trial is available for 14 days.
Those who value decent performance in a native experience enough to allow their Mac run hot need not apply. Overall, it outperforms Bootcamp in speed, compatibility, and results, but it costs money (if you don’t utilize the trial version or it expires).
Can you play Overwatch 2 on Mac?
To download and play Overwatch 2, you’ll need a Windows virtual computer or a dedicated Windows disk on your Mac. As long as you have Boot Camp installed, you can get Overwatch 2 on your Mac. Overwatch 2 may be downloaded from the store from whence it was first purchased after first installing Windows using Parallels or Boot Camp.
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How to play Overwatch on Mac without Bootcamp?
You can play Overwatch on Mac without Bootcamp by using Parallels. Parallels is the virtualization program you’ll need to install Windows on your Mac M1 so you can play Overwatch. Since the Boot Camp Assistant tool isn’t made accessible for M1 Macs, the only way to install Windows is to utilize Parallels or another virtualization application.
Hope we have answered all the questions that you would want answered regarding ‘Can You Play Overwatch On MacBook’. Let us know if you have any suggestions in comments.
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