Cyberpunk 2077 launches on macOS as Apple completes its Mac gaming redemption arc

• Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition will launch on macOS on July 17
• The game uses several exclusive Apple features and technologies
• MetalFX Frame Interpolation and Denoising are coming later this year

There was a time when the idea that a Mac could be a gaming machine was treated as a laughable concept. Those days, though, now seem to be over, as AAA title Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition has just launched on Apple’s computers after being teased for a few heady months.

The Ultimate Edition includes both the base game from 2020 and the Phantom Liberty expansion that was released in 2023. Although the game was plagued with bugs and glitches when it originally appeared, it has since gone on to earn “overwhelmingly positive” reviews on Steam, with expansion Phantom Liberty being similarly well-received.

Indeed, our Cyberpunk 2077 review called it “ambitious and deeply enjoyable,” while we declared Phantom Liberty to be a “DLC masterclass.”

Despite modern Macs lacking discrete graphics cards, Apple promises that this won’t be a low-resolution, low-frame-rate struggle. According to the company’s announcement, Cyberpunk 2077’s Mac edition has been designed to take “full advantage of Apple silicon and the advanced technologies of Metal … ensuring smooth performance and stunning visuals throughout V’s rise to Night City legend.”

Not just a PC port

Apple’s announcement made clear that this is not just a simple port of the PC version. Instead, it takes advantage of some of Apple’s own technologies, like Head Tracked Spatial Audio when using AirPods, “dynamically calibrated HDR optimized for Apple XDR displays” (HDR is also available on non-Apple monitors), support for the Magic Mouse and Magic Trackpad (alongside games controllers and keyboard-and-mouse setups), and “For This Mac” graphics presets that are “individually optimized for every Apple Silicon Mac model.”

You also get MetalFX Upscaling, which renders the game at a lower resolution, then uses artificial intelligence (AI) to increase the visual fidelity. The result is a sharp image that puts less load on your Mac’s chip. In addition to MetalFX Upscaling, Cyberpunk 2077 can also be played with AMD’s FSR upscaling and frame generation techs.

Speaking of frame generation, MetalFX Frame Interpolation will come to Cyberpunk 2077 later this year. Another AI feature, this generates an “intermediate frame” every two input frames, giving you higher frame rates than your hardware might normally be able to manage. Combined with MetalFX Upscaling, Apple says you can achieve 120fps when running the game at Ultra settings – although it’s not clear what specific Apple silicon chip would be required for that level of performance.

MetalFX Denoising is also on the way this year, a tech that Apple boasts will allow “real time path tracing on the game’s highest quality graphics settings.” Put together, Apple says you can expect “smooth performance, sharp visuals, and seamless gameplay.”

Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition requires a Mac with 16GB of unified memory and an Apple silicon chip (M1 or later). It also requires macOS 15.5 or later “for the best experience.” Following the introduction of AAA games like Baldur’s Gate 3 and Assassin’s Creed Shadows on macOS, it could herald a new era for Mac gamers.

You might also like

• I just experienced super-smooth Cyberpunk 2077 at Ultra settings on a Mac, but the developers say there’s more to ‘squeeze out’ of Apple Silicon
• Cyberpunk 2077 will be the biggest test for Mac gaming yet
• Apple just leveled up Mac gaming with these two new features – and it's about time