Cyberpunk 2077 Launches on Mac July 17 with Full Apple Silicon Support and New Features

Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition Launches on Mac

Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition is finally making its way to Apple’s Mac platform. The game will be compatible with all Apple Silicon Macs equipped with M1 through M4 chips and running macOS Sequoia 15.5. This marks a significant step in bringing one of the most anticipated titles to the Mac ecosystem.

Enhanced Features for Mac Users

CD Projekt RED, the developer behind Cyberpunk 2077, has leveraged a range of Apple technologies to enhance the gaming experience on Mac. These include MetalFX upscaling, which improves visual quality while maintaining performance, and Spatial Audio with head tracking when using AirPods. Additionally, the game features dynamic HDR optimized for Apple XDR displays, along with support for the Magic Mouse and Magic Trackpad.

The game also includes a version of AMD FSR upscaling and frame generation that is specifically optimized for Apple Silicon. While it remains unclear how this interacts with Apple's own MetalFX upscaling, the collaboration between CD Projekt RED and Apple highlights the potential of Mac hardware for high-end gaming.

Graphics Presets and System Requirements

To ensure a smooth experience across different Mac models, the game introduces new "For this Mac" graphics presets. These are tailored to each Apple Silicon Mac, ensuring optimal performance. Devices with at least 16GB of memory should be able to run the game with the provided optimizations. However, systems with 8GB of RAM may achieve around 30 frames per second in the base game, though the Phantom Liberty DLC might require more resources.

The Ultimate Edition, which includes the original Cyberpunk 2077 and the Phantom Liberty DLC, will offer feature parity with other platforms. This includes cross-progression, Patch 2.3 with a new Photo Mode, and a performance benchmark from the PC version.

Technical Innovations

CD Projekt RED has embraced Apple’s version of tiled rendering, which divides the rendering process into smaller chunks and assigns them to individual GPU cores. This was made possible by adding support for Apple’s Metal API, as well as using the Metal C++ interface and shader converter to optimize the game for Apple Silicon GPUs.

With the upcoming release of Metal 4 later this year, the game will integrate MetalFX Frame Interpolation and MetalFX Denoising. Frame Interpolation generates an intermediate frame for every two input frames, resulting in higher and more stable frame rates. When combined with upscaling, this technology could enable 120 frames per second on Ultra settings, although specific resolutions and supported Mac models remain unclear.

Denoising will also allow for real-time path tracing, even on the game’s most demanding settings.

Availability and Cross-Platform Access

Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition will be available on the Mac App Store, as well as Steam, GOG.com, and the Epic Games Store. Players who already own the game on third-party launchers can access it on the Mac without repurchasing.

This release is a key part of Apple’s broader strategy to position the Mac and other devices as viable gaming platforms. Although Cyberpunk 2077 initially launched in 2020 with some issues, it has since improved and gained a dedicated fanbase. Its delayed arrival on the Mac is now seen as an opportunity to showcase the capabilities of Apple’s technologies.

Apple has been expanding its gaming library with several other titles, including Control: Ultimate Edition, Stray, multiple Resident Evil and Assassin’s Creed games, Palworld, Death Stranding: Director’s Cut, and more. Recently, Assassin’s Creed Shadows was released simultaneously on the Mac alongside Windows PCs and consoles.

As the Mac continues to evolve as a gaming platform, Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition stands as a strong example of what high-end PC games can achieve on Apple hardware.