How to play Monster Hunter Wilds on Mac

Game Overview

Monster Hunter Wilds is a thrilling addition to the Monster Hunter franchise, offering players an expansive open world teeming with diverse ecosystems and formidable monsters. Its gameplay revolves around the classic hunt-and-capture mechanics that fans love, but with a fresh twist—dynamic weather and day-night cycles that impact both the environment and the behavior of the creatures you pursue. Players can explore vast landscapes solo or with friends, utilizing a wide array of customizable weapons and armor crafted from the spoils of their hunts. The game introduces new species of monsters, each requiring unique strategies to defeat, keeping the hunting experience fresh and challenging. One reason for its popularity is the seamless blend of action and strategy, as players must adapt to their surroundings and learn the intricacies of each monster to succeed. Its vibrant, living world invites endless exploration, capturing the imagination of both seasoned hunters and newcomers alike. The cooperative multiplayer mode enhances the experience, fostering a strong community of players who collaborate and share strategies. While the game has been a hit on consoles and PC, running it on a Mac can be a bit more challenging. With the right setup, such as utilizing cloud gaming services or running Windows via Boot Camp, Mac users can still enjoy the thrill of the hunt, albeit with some additional configurations.

1. Play Monster Hunter Wilds on cloud gaming services (Boosteroid and AirGPU)

Cloud gaming platforms stream games from remote servers, offering high performance without demanding hardware. Cloud gaming services are expanding the accessibility of gaming by eliminating many of the traditional barriers, such as the need for constant hardware upgrades and the initial cost of games. As internet speeds increase and technology advances, cloud gaming continues to grow as a popular alternative to traditional console and PC gaming.

Boosteroid

Boosteroid is a cloud gaming platform that allows users to play video games directly from the cloud on various devices, including PCs, smartphones, and smart TVs. This service provides access to a wide range of games without the need for powerful hardware. With Boosteroid, gamers can stream their favorite games over the internet, bypassing the need for downloading or updating games locally. The platform operates on a subscription model, offering different tiers to accommodate various user needs and preferences. Boosteroid is known for its ease of use, enabling seamless gaming experiences across different operating systems and devices, promoting greater accessibility and convenience for gamers worldwide.

1. Visit Boosteroid, sign up, and subscribe.
2. Search for the Monster Hunter Wilds game and play directly in your web browser.

Note: Boosteroid streams games seamlessly, making it accessible on most internet-connected devices.

AirGPU

AirGPU is a cloud gaming service that offers users the ability to rent high-performance virtual gaming PCs on demand. This platform enables gamers to stream the latest and most demanding games directly to their devices without the need for high-end local hardware. AirGPU provides a flexible rental model, allowing users to pay by the hour for access to powerful gaming rigs equipped with top-tier graphics and processing capabilities. The service supports a variety of devices including desktops, laptops, and some tablets, ensuring that users can enjoy a premium gaming experience from virtually anywhere. AirGPU stands out by offering personalized settings and configurations, giving gamers the freedom to customize their virtual machines to meet specific gaming needs.

1. Sign up at AirGPU and rent a high-performance virtual PC.
2. Connect to your cloud PC, install Monster Hunter Wilds from any digital platform.
3. Enjoy the game with high-quality graphics.

2. Use Boot Camp (for Intel-based Macs only)

Note: Boot Camp is not supported on Macs with M1/M2/M3 chips.

Boot Camp is a utility software included with macOS that allows users to install and run Windows on Macintosh computers in a dual-boot configuration. By partitioning the computer’s hard drive, Boot Camp enables a Mac to boot either into macOS or Windows, providing full system performance for Windows as it runs natively on the hardware. This solution is ideal for Mac users who need to run Windows applications that do not have macOS versions or who require the performance benefits of running certain programs directly on the hardware without virtualization overhead. Boot Camp simplifies the installation process, guiding users through the setup with step-by-step instructions and making it straightforward to switch between operating systems.

1. Get the Windows 10 ISO file (Windows 11 ISO file) from the Microsoft website. Choose the version that matches your license.
2. Find Boot Camp in the Utilities folder within your Applications. Open it to start the setup.
3. Use Boot Camp Assistant to allocate space on your hard drive for Windows. Follow the on-screen instructions to adjust the partition size.
4. Follow the prompts in Boot Camp Assistant to begin the Windows installation. Your Mac will reboot into the Windows setup.
5. During the Windows installation, choose the BOOTCAMP partition and format it.
6. Complete the installation by following the Windows setup instructions.
7. To switch between macOS and Windows, restart your Mac and hold the Option key to select the operating system you want to use.
8. Once Windows is installed, set up Monster Hunter Wilds like on any PC.

Why Monster Hunter Wilds is not running on Mac via CrossOver or Parallels?

Monster Hunter Wilds, the latest installment in the beloved franchise, has captured the hearts of many gamers worldwide; however, Mac users attempting to play the game via Crossover or Parallels have faced significant challenges. This issue stems largely from the game’s reliance on DirectX 12, a Windows-exclusive graphics API that is notoriously difficult to emulate or translate on macOS, which typically uses Metal for graphics rendering. Crossover and Parallels, while adept at running many Windows applications on Mac, struggle with games that demand high levels of graphical fidelity and low-latency performance, such as Monster Hunter Wilds. Additionally, anti-cheat systems integrated into many modern games, including this one, can detect these virtualization layers, often leading to crashes or the inability to launch the game altogether. While developers have made strides in supporting Windows games on Mac, the complexity of modern game engines and the differing architecture of macOS continue to pose barriers. Until native support is offered or substantial breakthroughs are made in virtualization technology, Mac users may need to seek alternative methods or devices to experience the thrill of “Monster Hunter Wilds.”