Steam is the world’s most popular digital PC games store — an online platform for downloading games straight to your computer instead of shopping at traditional retail outlets. The platform was launched to great success in 2003 thanks to the parent company, Valve, releasing it alongside one of the most highly anticipated PC games of all time: Half-Life 2. The company strategically ensured that Half-Life 2 couldn’t be played without downloading or registering the game on Steam, which was a controversial move but also the world’s first push into digital distribution. Since then, Steam continued to grow rapidly as dated formats like CD and DVD became obsolete.
Today, lots of Mac users are still wondering: does Steam work on Mac? Truth is, for many years, Mac users had very little access to the most recent games. Although Steam was originally Windows exclusive, it eventually began to support Macs too — with a catch.
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How Does Steam Work On Mac?
The main reason for Steam not initially supporting Macs was them containing proprietary hardware that game developers struggled to cater for. Macs generally didn’t have the same gaming-oriented hardware that Windows PC users enjoyed, such as high-performance CPU chips and video cards. Additionally, Windows made it easier for game developers to interface with their hardware using widely supported API tools such as DirectX.
The lack of games on Mac wasn’t only due to hardware and software, but also the business model as a whole. In the early 2000s, Apple was more concerned with their suite of creative applications and music software rather than games. As gaming became more popular, the company struggled to enter the market through their own App Store, as competing products had already captured market share.
Thankfully, Macs shifted away from their own hardware to common X86 platforms used by Windows PCs, which included Intel chips and leading video card brands like AMD and Nvidia. Suddenly, gaming on Macs became viable — in an effort to reinvent the industry Apple is releasing Arcade this fall, its gaming subscription service for all the Apple devices. But while we are yet to see what is Apple hiding up its sleeve, Steam has already jumped on the opportunity to make it work.
How to install Steam on Mac
Now is a better time than ever for gamers on Mac, thanks to greater Steam support and more powerful hardware parts. So if you’re wondering how to download Steam for Mac, you’re in the right place. Follow the instructions below and you’ll be ready to get your Mac games download going in no time:
Navigate to steampowered.com
Click the Install Steam on the top right of the screen
On the next page, click Install Steam (make sure the Apple logo is next to the button, the browser should have automatically detected you’re on a Mac)
When the Steam download for Mac is finished, click on steam.dmg
From the new window, drag steam into Applications
The install should now be complete. Test it by opening Steam from your Dock or Applications folder.
There are a few considerations to keep in mind if you’re thinking about installing Steam on Mac. First, you’ll want to ensure you meet the minimum requirements. Second, most of the popular games use a traditional two-button mouse configuration, whereas many of Apple’s mice only have one by default. You can usually update the settings of your mouse, including the Apple Magic Mouse, to use a two-button style in your System Preferences. Finally, you’ll want to ensure your Mac is optimized for the best gaming performance.
How to download games on Steam
Despite Macs now having a more viable hardware platform for game developers, you’ll find that not all best Steam games for Mac are the same as Windows. Game developers still have to make accommodations for their games to run properly, most often quality assurance testing and specific Mac updates. In such an environment, here’s how you can find the best Mac games on Steam:
Open Steam from your Dock or Applications folder
Create a new account or log in if you already have one
All featured games (on the first page) should be Mac-compatible (identified by the Apple logo)
Double-click on any title to learn more about it
Click “Add to Card” and then “Purchase for Myself”
Choose Install Game Now
The Steam downloader will automatically start in the background and notify you when complete. Your game will then become available from the Library tab.
A helpful trick for first-time users is to take advantage of the Wishlist function, which adds games to a watchlist and notifies you when they are on sale. You can find the Wishlist button on the game page, near the “Add to Cart” button.
Additionally, you might want to begin your gaming journey with some free games for Mac. In Steam, navigate to the Store tab, then Games, and then Free-to-Play. You can download any of these following the same instructions as purchasing games.
If you find certain games are running slow, especially online, you may want to troubleshoot your internet connection. Mac users have a fantastic option for identifying internet issues in an application called WiFi Explorer.
WiFi Explorer automatically scans your network for coverage conflicts and then suggests tips for resolving them. In just a few seconds, you can see how well your WiFi network is performing, the strength of the signal when you move around your place, and your signal-to-noise ratio — so you can go back to gaming ASAP.
How to uninstall steam on Mac
If you’ve finished a game, or you’re trying to free up space on your drive, you may want to uninstall a Steam game on Mac. But you might be wondering: where does Steam install games? The answer is relatively complex, as Mac structures its application files in such a way that accessing them in the Library can be difficult when compared to the Windows File Explorer. Thankfully, uninstalling games on Steam is easy with its built-in file wizard for Mac. Here’s how to uninstall Steam games on Mac:
Open Steam, then navigate to the Games Library
Right-click on a game and choose Uninstall from the dropdown
Click Uninstall on the confirmation window. The game will be removed automatically from your Mac.
If you’re looking to uninstall the Steam application itself entirely from your Mac, it’s best to uninstall your games first to ensure nothing gets left behind. After that, simply dragging Steam into the Trash wouldn’t be ideal. If you want the most reliable way possible to uninstall Steam on your Mac, you may want to consider using an application designed to do this thoroughly.
CleanMyMac X is a popular tool for Mac users that lets you uninstall applications and wipe their footprint completely from your drive (simply go to the Uninstaller tab, scan your Mac, and remove). Plus it grants you access to one-click optimization and other handy features such as browser privacy configuration.
Now that you know how Steam works, and how to install and uninstall games for Mac, you’re ready for gaming with confidence.
Best of all, WiFi Explorer and CleanMyMac X, which can help you craft the best gaming experience possible, are available for free via 7-day trial with Setapp, a software suite with more than 150 Mac apps to solve tech issues, increase your productivity, and express your creative side as well. Now let’s play!
Don’t have the budget to drop on the lastest AAA game? Check out these 11 highly satifsying free-to-play games on Steam instead!
PC gaming often gets a bad rap for being “too expensive” to get into because a lot of non-console gamers think that you have to spend thousands of dollars on a high-end gaming computer in order to run today’s top games. And, of course, that simply isn’t true. In fact, you can build an affordable gaming computer for $500 or less that will work fine for 1080P gaming—especially when you consider that a lot of today’s top titles are non-demanding esports games (like League of Legends, Rocket League, Dota 2, Fortnite, Overwatch, etc.).
But, aside from the “high-cost-of-entry” myth that is typically associated with PC gaming, there is one benefit that PC gamers get that no other class of gamers get… and, that is highly entertaining free-to-play games. In fact, a few of the most popular titles on the PC are free-to-play (League of Legends, Dota 2, and Fortnite.) However, while those are the more well-known free-to-play games on PC, there are a ton more games on the PC—and, more specifically, on Steam—that are free-to-play.
In this post, we’re going to list 11 of the best free games on Steam that you can play right now. So, whether you’re a PC gamer already and you’re looking for a new game to jump into, or you’re thinking about getting into PC gaming and you’re looking for a list of games that you can try out for free, this list will give you plenty of titles to jump into and try out without you having to open up your wallet.
Paladins
Paladins is a first-person-shooter free-to-play game. A deck of cards with special abilities is its ticket to victory. The cards help a team to score control points by sending a siege engine to an enemy’s fortress doorstep. Paladins comprises of over three dozen playable characters. It has maps and vibrant visuals to make the game more appealing.
Moving up a play level improves the abilities of the cards to modify a character from the onset of the game. You can adjust a character’s movement speed, health and ability to cool down. The features enable the game to be suitable for strategic play.
Paladins is very similar to Team Fortress 2 and Overwatch. It has some MOBA qualities because all the characters have their own abilities and weaknesses. Players are categorized into four categories: front line fighter, damage dealer, flanking hero, & support character.
A well-executed strategy is really important for this team-based game. Paladins is ranked among Steam’s top 10 selling games.
War Thunder
War Thunder was released in August 2013. The game is set in World War 2 and it is an MMO combat military-style game. A team of up to 16 players chooses a war vehicle of their choice to man during matches. The war vehicles range from sky-based aircrafts to sea-based naval ships to ground-based combat vehicles. So, there is a pretty wide-range of options to choose between.
While War Thunder is one of the best free-to-play games on Steam, the game is a cross-platform game that can also be played on PlayStation 4 and XBox One.
Warframe
Picture yourself playing the role of a robot space ninja. That’s the role Warframe imposes on you. Goons and other spaceships fight out among themselves in this action game for their rightful space. The characters are donned in elegant war frames that cause extraordinary capabilities and define your playing style.
There are several enemy factions with varying strengths and weaknesses that players are bound to face. Players can customize their load outs to their liking. Warframe has a larger player base because of its popularity. The more you play, the more you unlock cool combat gear, and that is what Warframe is all about.
Warframe currently ranks first on Steam’s list of top-selling free-to-play games. The game is updated frequently, and so players stand to enjoy new experiences regularly. War Frame won the “Labour of Love” Steam award in 2017.
SMITE
SMITE is a third person MOBA game that was released in September of 2015. The multi-player game is based on combat between two teams of five players on either side. Each of the characters available features a passive trait, is assigned a basic attack, and comes with special abilities to help them attack the enemy in unique ways.
SMITE’s third person style differentiates from traditional MOBA’s top-down view, while maintaining the traditional MOBA gameplay (work your way into your enemy’s base and destroy it).
Team Fortress 2
For a game that was released way back in October of 2007, Team Fortress 2 still maintains a highly active player base. In fact, TF2 won the Test of Time award in 2016. The game is a team-based multiplayer first-person shooter with nine different playable classes.
There are also a number of different game types to choose between, including: Control Point, Capture the Flag, Attack/Defend, Payload, King of the Hill, and Man vs. Machine.
Team Fortress 2 is still updated with new gaming modes, equipment, and maps. It currently ranks 4th on Steam’s top-selling free-to-play games.
Realm Royale
Realm Royale was launched through Steam’s Early Access program in June 2018 and it is a spinoff of Paladins (listed above). It is a free-to-play third-person battle royale shooter game. Realm Royale revolves around different classes, skills, mounts, and an arsenal of weapons. Players can choose between the following classes: Warrior, Assassin, Engineer, Mage, and Hunter.
Realm Royale has seen a bit of a dropoff in its player base since its initial release, but the game is still worth checking out if you prefer a fantasy setting for your battle royale style game.
Brawlhalla
Brawlhalla is a multi-player fighting game that has a similar style to Super Smash Bros. Brawlhalla has a few different game styles to choose between, but in the majority of them, your goal is to knock your opponent(s) off of a platform until they have no lives left, or to have the most points accumulated at the end of the game.
You can choose between eight different characters for free and those characters change on a weekly basis. You can also purchases your favorite characters with in-game currency that is earned through playing matches, or by purchasing them with real money.
Dota 2
Dota 2 is the most-played game on Steam and is one of the most-played games across any platform. It is also one of the most prominent esports games currently available and Dota 2 professionals earn more money on average than the professionals of other esports titles.
Dota 2 is a MOBA-style game where you can choose between a large library of characters, each of whom have different abilities and play styles, to help you beat your opponent. The game has a bunch of game modes, but the most popular mode is 5v5.
Path of Exile
Path of Exile is an action-based RPG game that was developed, published, and released by Grinding Gear games in October 2013. The game garnered hit five million users just one year after its development.
Gamers play exiled characters that need to fight monsters, level up, and upgrade their gear in order to progress further into the game. Characters can be customized with a fairly complex talent tree-system. You can choose to play as a ranger, duelist, marauder, witch, templar, scion, or shadow.
Despite being free-to-play, Path of Exile is updated frequently. It was nominated for the Labour of Love Award in 2017, but it lost to War Frame. It ranks third on Steam’s top-selling games.
Ring of Elysium
Ring of Elysium is a multiplayer battle royale shooter action game released under Steam’s Early Access program in September 2018. It was developed by Tencent games and published by Tencent Games in conjunction with Garena. Ring of Elysium is a survival-style game in which characters have to fight their way through a snowstorm against other players to be one of only a few players who can be saved.
A lot of Early Access players have commended the developers of Ring of Elysium for solving a lot of the issues that players have disliked about other popular battle royale style games (namely, PUBG and Fornite), all while still keeping the elements that have made battle royale games so popular.
The game currently ranks 8th on Steam’s list of the Top Selling free-to-play games (which, for free-to-play games, just means top downloaded.)
Black Squad
Free Game For Mac Downloads
Black Squad is another early access game that has released with good results. Black Squad is a military-based first-person shooter made in Unreal Engine 3. The game is known for its fast-paced action-packed combat and its realistic graphics.
Best Free Game For Mac On Steam Pc
The game was released in July of 2017 and is currently one of the top-rated free-to-play games on Steam. While the game is free-to-play, players can purchase in-game skins with real money. However, the skins are cosmetic only and have no impact on gameplay.
If you’re a PC gamer on a budget and you don’t want to commit to dropping ~$50-$60 on a new title that you might not even like, you’d probably be better off checking out one of the free-to-play games on Steam that are listed above. A lot of the game listed above have large player bases and can be just as addictive—if not more so—than some of today’s AAA titles.
Best Free Games For Mac On Steam
Whether you’re looking for a MOBA-style game, a first-person shooter, or a battle royale game, there is likely a free-to-play option on Steam that should suit your needs.