David Bridges
Exciting news for Mac enthusiasts and gamers alike! Soon, you’ll have the opportunity to immerse yourself in one of the most talked-about games of the last five years: Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition. This highly anticipated title will be readily available for download from the Mac App Store, as well as on popular platforms like Steam, GOG.com, and the Epic Games Store starting Thursday, July 17. As indicated by its title, the Ultimate Edition comprises both the original game and the thrilling Phantom Liberty expansion released in 2023. This exciting port was initially announced in the previous fall and was expected to launch “early” this year, but the developers took a bit more time to ensure everything was perfectly in place for an optimal gaming experience.
To play this expansive game, players will require an M-series Mac, as confirmed by both Apple and CD Projekt Red. The good news is that the game will support devices dating back to the M1 model, but you will need at least 16GB of RAM. For many years, 8GB was the norm for entry-level Macs, unfortunately leaving those models unable to run this cutting-edge game. Graphics performance may vary significantly depending on the specific chipset in use, but CD Projekt Red has included a tailored “for this Mac” graphics setting designed to optimize the game for each Apple Silicon computer. This means players should find it relatively easy to achieve a satisfactory gaming experience without extensive tweaking of settings.
In terms of advanced technical features, Cyberpunk 2077 incorporates AMD FSR technology for upscaling and frame generation, alongside Apple’s MetalFX which also supports upscaling. Exciting new features from Metal 4, announced at WWDC 2025, such as Metal FX Frame Interpolation and Metal FX Denoising, will be integrated into the game through a future update. The Metal FX Frame Interpolation technology creates an intermediate frame for every two input frames and can be synergized with existing Metal upscaling techniques, enabling the game to potentially reach 120fps on Ultra settings. However, it remains unclear which specific Mac models will be capable of supporting this feature.
For gamers who enjoy using AirPods with their Mac, Cyberpunk 2077 offers an immersive spatial audio experience complete with head-tracking capabilities. Additionally, the game supports cross-progression, allowing players to continue their adventures seamlessly across different platforms—ideal for those who may have started their journey on another device and wish to transition to a Mac. If you’ve already acquired Cyberpunk 2077 from another platform like Steam, you will find it readily available for your Mac without the need for a new purchase.
While Cyberpunk 2077 may not be a brand-new release, it continues to be one of the most celebrated and discussed titles of the decade, especially following the successful resolution of numerous launch issues by CD Projekt Red. This game joins a still limited but steadily increasing collection of major titles optimized for Apple Silicon and Mac systems, including the recently launched Assassin’s Creed Shadows. A quick glance at the Mac App Store reveals additional AAA releases such as Death Stranding, Control, Lies of P, and various Resident Evil titles, along with smaller yet equally captivating games like Neva and Stray. While many high-profile games do not launch simultaneously on Mac compared to other platforms, the availability of Mac gaming options is expanding beyond just Apple Arcade titles.
Brandon Fletcher
