Mac is an excellent platform for productivity. Still, one area that you might struggle with is finding online games to play on Mac. The platform doesn’t have as many games as Windows. This is interesting since iOS is actually the best platform for mobile gaming.
It doesn’t mean that you won’t have plenty of great options, though. We’ve compiled a list here of the best Mac Online games. From MOBAs to first-person shooters to 4X Strategy, there’s a Mac game here for everyone. Let’s read on and find out which one is for you.
#1. ARK: Survival Evolved
Wolfire games 2001 Linux, OS X, Windows, Mac OS, iOS: Wolfire Games: Freeware: Free First-person shooter BZFlag: Chris Schoeneman, Tim Riker 1993 2016-10-10 (2.4.8) Linux, BSD, OS X, Windows, other UNIX: GNU LGPL: Tank combat Chub Gam 3D: Director's Cut: ChubGamSoft 1998 MS-DOS: Pie in the Sky: Freeware: Surreal horror single player game.
This is a personal favorite. ARK, as the name suggests is a multiplayer survival online game. You’re set alone on an island populated by giant dinosaurs and other players. You have to build everything from a fire to defense to household structures from scratch. You mine the surroundings for resources like Minecraft but you have to be watchful for enemies people and dinosaur alike.
This is a very intensive game. Make sure your Mac has the latest graphics drivers installed. And you’ll have the best experience if you run it on a Mac with a discrete graphics card. While this is an online game, keep in mind that it’s a premium title. With the amount of content, you’re definitely getting your money’s worth, though.
Price: $17.49
Platforms: macOS, iOS, Android, Windows, Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch
Download
#2. Rocket League
This online game is perfect for you if you’re looking for a mix of sports and car combat. Rocket League is an easy concept to explain: You’re playing football, but with turbo-powered rocket cars instead of players. Thanks to its competitive sports origin, Rocket League runs great on a wide range of Macs. It’s a premium game, but with a low price, so it’s not much of an outlay. The game is available on a wide range of platforms including Mac, so you’ll never have trouble finding other players.
Price: $19.99
Platforms: Windows, macOS, iOS, Nintendo Switch, Playstation 4, Xbox One, Linux
Download
#3. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
Counter-Strike is an absolute FPS classic. Almost everyone has played a match of Counter-Strike: GO or Counter-Strike 1.6 at one point of time or the other. As the Source engine update to the classic, it looks alright but runs on literally any system. It doesn’t matter if you have a $5000 Mac Pro or a previous-gen Macbook Air. This is one online game that has no trouble running on anything. If you’re looking to shoot some counterterrorists on Dust2, you can do that on Mac, too.
Price: Free
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, Xbox 360, Playstation 3
Download
#4. Minecraft
Now, this is a multiplayer online game that’s been ported to nearly every system imaginable. Mac is no exception. Because Minecraft is built on Java, it’s easy to port. This means you get the full, full-fat experience on your Mac without compromises. You get the same crafting and survival experience in a massive procedurally generated world.
This is a game with graphics that scale with your system specs. So you’ll get a great core experience on recent MacBooks with integrated graphics. But your Mac Pro or iMac will really shine with the settings dialed up to 11.
Price: Free
Platforms: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Playstation 3, Playstation 4, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo 3DS
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#5. Heroes of the Storm
This is an immensely popular multiplayer MOBA that’s a crossover of popular franchises like Warcraft, Diablo, Overwatch, and others. As a free-to-play title, you can jump into the hero brawler action directly, without any financial outlay.
Because of its e-sports legacy, Heroes of the Storm is designed to run great on a wide range of platforms, so this is a game even entry-level Macs will be able to manage. Heroes of the Storm offers a huge range of play-styles, with 87 different playable characters, each with its own skills, strengths, and weaknesses.
Price: Free
Platforms: Windows, macOS
Download
#6. Sid Meier’s Civilization VI
This is an excellent game, both online and offline. As the most recent title in the Civilization series, this is one of the best 4X Strategy games available on any platform. Mac isn’t the only Apple platform it’s available on: There are excellent Civilization 6 ports on iOS for iPad and iPhone as well. You get a very deep strategy experience, taking you through the ages as one of many world leaders.
Individual games can run for hours on end. If you’re looking for the real multiplayer experience, there’s even an online “no-quit” community of players determined to see each session through to the end. This is another game that’s light on system resources. You might even be able to get it running native res on a Retina iMac or MacBook display.
Price: $17.99
Platforms: Windows, macOS, iOS
Download
#7. Fortnite
This battle royale game is an international sensation. Dropping you onto an island with 99 other competitors, you collect resources, build structures, and fight to stay alive, while the safe space closes inwards. Fortnite has become especially popular with the release of mobile ports, including a high-quality iOS version. But the desktop experience is what you’ll get on Mac.
If you have a decent discrete graphics card, you’ll be able to get Fortnite running at a steady 60 FPS: this is important if you’re trying to play competitively. With compelling multiplayer action, this is one of the best free online games to play for Mac.
Price: Free
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android, Xbox One, Playstation 4
Download
#8. Dota 2
This is a genuine Valve classic. Based on a Warcraft 3 mod, Dota 2 is the MOBA game that titles like League of Legends and Heroes of the Storm aspire towards. You get a straightforward MOBA experience arguably the MOBA experience that’s done the most to define the genre. As a hero, you play on either side of the map to fight with opponents and enemy creeps, strategically using special abilities.
As with most MOBAs, your objective is to destroy the enemy base on the other side of the map. Visuals look nice at higher settings, but this is an eminently scalable game. As a freemium title, you can game on Mac for free with Dota 2. It’ll look and perform great on a wide range of Macs. And there is a very strong Dota 2 community as well to involve yourself in.
Price: Free
Platforms: Windows, macOS
Download
#9. Hearthstone
This is a unique spin-off of the Warcraft franchise, a turn-based multiplayer card online game. Using a deck of cards and budgeted by your mana, you try to bring enemy health down to zero, through a combination of strategy and a powerful deck.
As a free-to-play title, Hearthstone has no real barriers of entry: You can get right into this game from any Mac, especially considering its mild system requirements. If you’re in the mood for some low-key strategy play, this is the game for you.
Price: Free
Platforms: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
Download
#10. EVE Online
Last but not least, let’s not forget one of gaming’s most incredible online communities. EVE Online has been around for over a decade. The Mac port gives you the full-fat desktop experience. You’ll want to come prepared with a solid discrete graphics card for this game’s spectacular visual effects, but it scales well on lower-end hardware too.
EVE’s magic comes from the degree of role-playing that players put into it. You can be anything in its sci-fi world: A pirate, a capitalist, a diplomat. A lot of player engagement takes place offline, with items and ships being purchased for real money, and treaties being established between groups. And the best part is that EVE has transitioned to a great Free to Play model. You’ll get a lot of amazing experiences for no cash outlay.
Price: Free
Platforms: Windows macOS, Linux
Download
That’s all gamers!
Signing off…
Mac might not have as many online games as other platforms. But it has no shortage of excellent, quality titles of every genre. If you’ve gone through this list, we’re sure you’d have found a Mac online game that’s right for you. Whether it’s Rocket League’s car combat, battle royale in Fortnite, or slow-paced global domination in Civilization VI, there’s one here for you. And since many are free-to-play, you can download these online titles to your Mac and play them directly, no hassle.
You may also like to read other posts…
What are your favorite online games for macOS? Do you want to see other games in this list? Share your answers in the Comments section below.
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The founder of iGeeksBlog, Dhvanesh, is an Apple aficionado, who cannot stand even a slight innuendo about Apple products. He dons the cap of editor-in-chief to make sure that articles match the quality standard before they are published.
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First-person shooters (FPS) are the games where you’re the guy playing behind the gun. You’re playing from the point of view of the shooter. This article is for those trying to get started playing them and looking for games to start off with. Alternatively, you’re trying to get friend or significant other interested in them. Here’s a small introduction and games to start them off with. If this is your first time reading about it, we are going to start off with the absolute basics. If you feel like you don’t need an introduction, go to the list.
What are FPS games?
FPS is a genre of action video games in which you defeat your enemies from a first-person perspective. We usually see the world of the game through the point of view of the a character, usually a protagonist. In most games, we can see the arms of the character at the bottom of the screen with some kind of weapon equipped in them. You control where your character moves, shoots, and other actions.
In FPS games you are usually given a gun or a similar fictional weapon where you aim and shoot at your enemies. It can become very overwhelming very fast. The enemies are constantly moving and shooting back at you. There are things are blowing up and making loud sounds. There’s many controls you have to know. You are playing in the first-person perspective which decreases your field of vision. All of this combined with playing against friends or people online with years of experience is especially demoralizing. I hate to this, but there’s no easy way around this. You just have to keep practicing.
The first question that comes to every gamer’s mind when thinking about FPS games is if they should play these games on a PC or console. Personally, I prefer to play FPS games on PC, but the choice should be left to you. I started on PC because I had a computer and my parents wouldn’t buy me a game system.
FPS games on PC
FPS games are a little more intense on PC because of the freedom of movement provided by a mouse. The mouse lets the player look in any desired direction and take the aim very quickly. This type of freedom can never be replicated by a controller. You are also given better graphics and frame-rates on a gaming PC as compared to a console.
FPS games on console
FPS games are quite intense on console as well, but the movements are slower because of the controller. However, that is where aim-assist comes in! FPS games on console usually come with an aim-assist option which can help you get better aim. Aim-assist makes aiming on a console just as easy as the PC. FPS games on console have the same graphical settings and frame-rates for every gamer, which means that no gamer can have an unfair advantage.
How to improve your game
The best way to improve your aim whether you’re on PC or console is to just keep on playing. At first, you will get quite frustrated because of your bad reflexes in the game, but slowly, you will start to see small improvements, which will eventually develop into big improvements. If you’re on PC, you can also download some aim training software to practice your aim before every match.
Beginner Games to Play
Notes for games below:
– Difficulty is scored by 1 being the easiest and 10 being the hardest (1 is like aiming practice, 10 is like nonstop action and many controls)
– Difficulty for single player games or modes are based on the easiest possible setting
Single Player Games
Far Cry 5
Released: March 27, 2018
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One
Difficulty: 3/10
Far Cry 5 is the perfect game for you if you like to play story-driven games which are free from all the online multiplayer aspects. Essentially, the story is that a doomsday cult led by leader Joseph Seed has taken over a county in Montana. You’re a junior deputy sheriff working with other resistance groups to free the county. If you like storylines, side quests and not having to deal with online multiplayer, this one is for you. Far Cry 5 is just a nice casual, but yet exciting game.
Fallout 3
Released: October 28, 2008
Platforms: Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Difficulty: 3.5/10
This is a good game beginner game because it’s very straight forward. Don’t expect crazy graphics because it’s from 2008. I recommend it because it’s a pretty simple game to run through. In the game, there are options of what to say when you talk to someone (see below). The choice is usually pretty simple compared to other games where it can be more complicated. However, there’s also not that much constant shooting. It’s more story-line based so don’t play it if you’re not into that.
Doom Eternal
Released: March 20 2020
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Stadia and Nintendo Switch
Difficulty: 5/10
Doom Eternal is the latest addition to the Doom franchise, which is a story-driven game. The most beautiful thing about this game is the fact that because of its push-forward style of gameplay, this game can be very intense and entertaining. Simply put the game is about you trying to liberate earth from demons who have invaded earth. It’s up to you to kill these demons and save earth. It’s a gory violent game with insane graphics.
Note: Has multiplayer but not recommended for beginners
Single & Multiplayer Games
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
Released: October 25, 2019
Platform: PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4
Single Player Difficulty: 4/10 | Multiplayer Difficulty: 7/10
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is the latest addition to the Call of Duty line-up. The franchise itself is a well known classic. The game can serve as both a story-driven game and an online multiplayer game. You can play on the story mode on the easiest difficulty setting as you get a hang of FPS. No shame in that.
It’s designed to have a more realistic story line, but still a fictional one. You’re working towards liberating Urzikstan from Russian Forces.Both the campaign and online multiplayer modes for this game are very beautifully built.
Halo Reach
Released: September 14, 2010
Platform: PC, Xbox One and Xbox 360
Single Player Difficulty: 4/10 | Multiplayer Difficulty: 7/10
I felt like I had to include this one because it’s a classic. I was debating between Halo 3 and Halo Reach but Halo Reach can be played on PC. For the sake of accessibility, I chose this one. I’m choose this one because, similar to COD, it has options for story mode with difficulty setting and multiplayer. In pretty much all the Halo games you’re in a war with an alien group call the Convenant. Each game is pretty much a different part of the conflict . You should get a hang of the plot within the first few levels. If you like shooting aliens and playing in a fictional places this one’s for you.
Battlefield 3
Released: October 25, 2011
Platform: PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3
Single Player Difficulty: 3/10 | Multiplayer Difficulty: 7/10
Battle field 2 was actually the first FPS game I played so I don’t know if I’m adding this because I’m biased or it’s actually that good of an intro game. This one also has the option to play first player or multiplayer. I just find that it’s a simpler game to play when it’s more nonfictional, because you’ll already have a sense of what the weapons are for. For example you’ll know what a shotgun is in real life but you’ll have no idea what an MA5D assault rifle is from Halo.
Titanfall 2
Released: October 28, 2016
Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Single Player Difficulty: 4/10 | Multiplayer Difficulty: 7.5/10
If you like robots, cool graphics, fictional sci-fi plots and fictional weapons then this is the one for you. The plot is a little hard to follow though because it’s building on the previous game. The multiplayer is very fast paced though so don’t start off playing that. Play the single player campaign to get a hang of things first.
Star wars Battlefront II
Released: November 17, 2017
Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Single Player Difficulty: 3 | Multiplayer Difficulty: 5.5
The video game is loosely based on the movie franchise. That can make it more interesting for beginners if they’ve watched Star Wars. The characters and places are from places in the movies. Some people are critical about the game because there’s nothing too complicated about it. I find that that is why it is advantageous to beginners.
Multiplayer Games
Apex Legends
Released: February 4, 2019
Platforms: PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4
Multiplayer Difficulty: 6.5
This beautiful online multiplayer FPS game took the gaming world by storm! Regardless of the fact that Apex Legends was released without any prior announcement, this game got very popular in the whole gaming community. Apex Legends is a battle royale game which was published by EA. It is fun to play together with your friends, but cross-play (playing on the same server on different consoles) is not available in the game right now. Hopefully it’ll be added soon. The premise of the game is 20 three person teams land on an island and the last team standing wins. There’s gadgets, shields, and other things you can use to your advantage.
Counter Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO)
Released: August 21, 2012
Platform: PC, Mac OS, Linux, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360
Multiplayer Difficulty: 9
CS:GO is the one of the most traditional type of FPS game which is loved by gamers all over the world. CS:GO is a very competitive game, and it is a huge part of the world of e-sport. This also means playing online is hard. I’ve only really included this because you it’s on pretty much any console and it’s free or low cost.
1st Person Shooter Games Free
The game separates a group of players into 2 teams. One is a group of terrorists, and the other one is a group of counter-terrorists. Both the teams must eliminate each other whilst completing certain tasks to win the game.