Options to keep 32-bit Mac games playable on a Mac computer: Consider not upgrading to macOS 10.15 or above. By staying on macOS 10.14 Mojave or older you will ensure that your 32-bit apps are still playable on your Mac computer. Mar 01, 2020 On another note, many games on steam for mac are actually built with Unity Engine, which means developers has little to do to update game to 64bit – in most cases just recompile to 64-bit and that will automatically ship 64bit libraries together with game.
From yesterday a large number of Steam users reported that they were seeing a '[GAME] is not optimized for your Mac' alert. If you've seeing the same thing, you are likely running a game that is a 32-bit app on macOS 10.13.4.
35 Steam Games from Aspyr Are Affected
Not all game developers have updated thier popular 32-bit apps to 64-bit to ensure future playability with macOS. Aspyr, an American video game developer and publisher, says that so far its remedy for this upadte is currently unknown. We understood the 32-bit to 64-bit transition does present unique development challenges, and it's not yet known if every Aspyr game will be upgraded. This update affects the following Steam games from Aspyr Media:
- BioShock Infinite
- Borderlands 2
- Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel!
- Call of Duty 2
- Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
- Call of Duty: Black Ops
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
- Civilization IV
- Civilization IV: Colonization
- Civilization V
- Command & Conquer™: Generals Deluxe Edition
- Company of Heroes Complete: Campaign Edition
- Doom 3
- Duke Nukem Forever
- Fahrenheit: Indigo Prophecy Remastered
- Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions
- Homeworld Remastered Collection
- Prey
- Quake 4
- RAGE
- RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 Platinum
- SimCity 4: Deluxe Edition
- SimCity: Complete Edition
- Star Wars: Empire at War
- Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
- Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
- Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy
- Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast
- The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition
- The Sims 2: Castaway Stories
- The Sims 2: Life Stories
- The Sims 2: Pet Stories
- The Sims 2: Super Collection
- Tomb Raider II
Read Also: The Best Way To Transfer Music from iPhone to Mac >
Everything You Want To Know About This Alert
By cleaning up 32-bit Apps/Gamings from macOS, Apple hopes that this alert will help gamers and game developers to raise a concern about the modern design of Mac apps/games. According to Apple: 'To ensure that the apps you purchase are as advanced as the Mac you run them on, all future Mac software will eventually be required to be 64-bit.'
- Q: Why am I seeing this '[GAME] is not optimized for your Mac' alert? A: Starting with macOS High Sierra 10.13.4, apps that have not been updated to use 64-bit processes produce a one-time alert when opened. This gives users advance notice that they are running 32-bit software/game, which will not be compatible with macOS in the future.
- Q: Can I keep playing my 32-bit games on my Mac? A: Yes, you may continue to play 32-bit games with your Mac today as this is just a reminder alert. This has no adverse effect on your data or your computer.
- Q: How do I check if my Steam game is 32-bit or 64-bit? A: On Apple menu > Choose About This Mac > Click the System Report button > Software > Applications. When you select an individual game, you will see a field titled '64-bit (Intel)'.
The Bottom Line
Please feel free to contact us if you have similar problems or concerns and we will update this thread as we have news or updates. Leave your message in comment box below to join the discussion with other steam gamers.
More macOS/Apple Related Tips
Tags: iPhone NewsiTunes AlternativeiPhone Data RecoveryiPhone Photo Recovery
By William Gallagher
Tuesday, September 03, 2019, 12:33 pm PT (03:33 pm ET)
Steam will work fine on macOS Catalina, you just need to take some steps first
You'll have to ask Valve why they can't always update your 32-bit Steam client app to the 64-bit version that will run under macOS Catalina. But,
Steam Mac 64 Bit
AppleInsider is repeatedly being asked by users why their install is yelling at them that it needs an update.The update from Valve is ready, and the Steam client will work just fine under macOS Catalina —you just may have to prepare the ground a little.
Specifically, the problem is with the Steam client on your Mac. Even if you have shortcuts to your favorite games, they all launch through that Mac app, and it's possible that your copy of that is still a 32-bit app.
If you're stuck with that 32-bit version, you have to manually get rid of it and then reinstall a new copy.
Oh, yes, it is. The Steam service is fine and so are at least most of your games. It's just the Steam client you have to fix.
Trash talk
One quick tip: do be certain to have your Steam account name and password to hand. You clicked that Remember Me button years ago, but this is going to appear to Steam as if you're setting up a new computer.
You'll have to be able to log in again, and you'll have to have access to email to get the verification codes that you'll be sent.
When you're sure you have the account details, start with this:
- Quit Steam
- Go to your Applications folder
- Drag Steam out to the Trash
If you have Hazel installed on your Mac, it will spot that you've removed an application and will offer to also delete all of that app's supporting files. As good as that is, as so much handier it is than going through the whole process of deleting them manually, don't let Hazel do it.
That's because Hazel will do too good a job and it'll remove everything. We want rid of a lot of Steam, but not the bit that includes your games.
If you have Hazel on your Mac, it will offer to delete Steam's supporting files. But you need the ones to do with your installed games, so click Keep All.
So next, you find all of Steam's supporting files from the Finder.
Hold Shift, Command
and press G. In the Go to Folder dialog that appears, enter this: ~/Library/Application Support/ and click Go.Hold down Command and Shift, then press the letter G to call up this Go To Folder dialog. You're going to get very familiar with it.
In the folder that opens, scroll to find the Steam folder, and delete everything in there except /steamapps. That directory is where your games live, and keeping that folder preserves the installs.
Next, repeat that Go to Folder with each of the following. In every one, look for Steam or Valve files.
- ~/Library/Caches/
- ~/Library/Logs/
- ~/Library/Preferences/
- ~/Library/Cookies/
- ~/Library/Saved Application State/
- ~/Library/LaunchAgents/
Do be careful to solely select Steam or Valve folders, but then drag them to the Trash and empty it.
Almost done
Now go to store.steampowered.com where you'll see an Install Steam button at the top right of the site.
Work through the steps it tells you. Then log back in to your Steam account, and you're done.
There is, seriously, nothing you can do about games developers who haven't moved to 64-bit binaries. Barring a virtual machine or something else drastic, those games won't work under Catalina. But at least taking these steps now will save you having that awful moment when you've updated to Catalina, the Steam client won't load at all, and it appears as if you've lost all your Steam games.
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