How to play Sea of Thieves on Mac

Game Overview

Sea of Thieves, developed by Rare and published by Microsoft Studios, has captivated players with its unique blend of adventure, exploration, and player interaction in a vast, open-world pirate setting. Players are given the liberty to explore a beautifully crafted world filled with secrets, treasures, and dangers. The game’s emphasis on exploration and discovery taps into the adventurous spirit of its players. At its core, Sea of Thieves is a shared-world experience where players can form crews with friends or strangers, leading to memorable encounters filled with cooperation, betrayal, and competition. This social aspect is a significant draw for many players. The game’s world is ever-changing, with wild weather, special events, and encounters with other crews ensuring that no two journeys are the same. This dynamic nature keeps the gameplay fresh and exciting. Sea of Thieves encourages players to tackle challenges in their own unique ways, offering a variety of tools and strategies for overcoming obstacles. Additionally, the game allows for extensive customization of ships and characters, enabling players to express their individuality. The year 2024 brings exciting updates and features to Sea of Thieves. Updates have been made to enhance the gameplay experience, including safer seas for Tall Tales, new voyages, and improvements to session times, making the game more accessible and enjoyable for both casual and hardcore players. Officially, Sea of Thieves is not supported on macOS. However, there are workarounds for Mac users who wish to play the game. One method involves using Boot Camp to install Windows on Intel-based Macs, allowing them to run Sea of Thieves as if on a PC. For M Mac users, options are more limited due to the lack of Boot Camp support, but cloud gaming services, Crossover and Parallels offer a viable alternative.

1. Play Sea of Thieves with CrossOver via Steam

CrossOver is a software tool that enables users to run Windows applications on macOS and Linux without needing a Windows operating system license. It is based on the popular open-source Wine project and works by translating Windows API calls into POSIX calls on-the-fly, eliminating the performance and resource penalties of virtual machines. With CrossOver, users can seamlessly integrate Windows applications into their native environment, running them as if they were native applications on their Mac or Linux systems. This software is especially useful for those who need access to certain Windows-only programs for business, education, or gaming purposes, providing a streamlined and efficient solution without the complexity of dual-booting or maintaining a separate Windows installation. Here’s how to play Sea of Thieves using CrossOver through Steam:

1. Visit the CrossOver website, purchase the software, and download it. Install CrossOver on your Mac by dragging it into the Applications folder.
2. Open CrossOver, click Install a Windows Application, and select Steam from the list. Follow the prompts to install.
3. On the right side, in the Advanced Settings, switch D3DMetal and MSync toggles.
4. Launch Steam within CrossOver, log into your Steam account, find Sea of Thieves in the Steam store, and install it.
5. Navigate to the Library in Steam, find Sea of Thieves, and click Play to start your simulation.

Install a Windows Application -> Steam

Install Steam on Mac via Crossover

2. Play Sea of Thieves on cloud gaming services (Xbox Cloud 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.

Xbox Cloud

Xbox Cloud (formerly known as Project xCloud) is Microsoft’s cloud gaming service that enables players to stream a variety of Xbox games directly to their devices, such as smartphones, tablets, PCs, and consoles. This service is integrated with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, providing subscribers access to a vast library of games without the need for downloading them. Xbox Cloud Gaming supports playing games on the go with a compatible controller and a stable internet connection, offering the convenience of continuing your gaming session across multiple devices. It leverages Microsoft’s global network of Azure data centers to deliver low-latency gaming experiences, making it possible to play high-quality Xbox titles almost anywhere. Here’s a simplified guide to playing Sea of Thieves on Xbox Cloud Gaming:

1. Get Xbox Game Pass Ultimate – subscribe via the Xbox website.
2. Xbox Cloud Gaming works on macOS through supported browsers like Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome.
3. Open your browser and go to the Xbox Cloud Gaming website. Log into your Microsoft account that’s associated with your Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription.
4. Find Sea of Thieves in the cloud gaming section and click Play.
5. Stream and play Sea of Thieves directly on your Mac.

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 Sea of Thieves from any digital platform.
3. Enjoy the game with high-quality graphics.

3. Play Sea of Thieves using Parallels

Sea of Thieves is playable on Parallels, however performance might not be the best on less powerful Mac machines.

Parallels is a software application that allows users to run Windows and other operating systems simultaneously alongside macOS without rebooting. This virtualization technology is particularly popular among Mac users who need to access Windows applications for work or play. Parallels Desktop is known for its seamless integration, offering features like Coherence Mode, which allows applications from different operating systems to run side-by-side as if they are part of the same system. This makes it incredibly convenient for users to switch between macOS and Windows applications. Additionally, Parallels is designed to optimize performance, ensuring that both the Mac and the virtualized environments run efficiently. This software is a robust solution for those who require multiple operating systems but prefer to use one computer. Here’s how to use it:

1. Go to the Parallels website, download the installer and apply for free trial.
2. Install a Windows operating system within Parallels. You’ll need a Windows license.
3. On Windows, download and install Sea of Thieves as you would on a PC (using Steam).
4. Launch the game within the Windows virtual machine.

Install Windows 11 on Mac with Parallels (Step 1)

Install Windows 11 on Mac with Parallels (Step 2)

Install Windows 11 on Mac with Parallels (Step 3)

Install Windows 11 on Mac with Parallels (Step 4)

4. 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 Sea of Thieves like on any PC.