How to Play Burglin' Gnomes on Mac (Best Options Compared)
- Sven Frese
- Games
- June 11, 2026
Burglin’ Gnomes is a co-op game about sneaking into houses and causing chaos as a tiny gnome, complete tasks, repurpose stolen items, and keep the High-Gnome happy. It’s Windows-only, but Mac players aren’t out of luck. There are a few ways to get it running.
Mac users have three options: CrossOver (a compatibility layer that runs Windows games directly on your Mac), Whisky (a free CrossOver alternative), or CloudDeck (cloud gaming that streams the game from a remote PC). Here’s how they compare for Burglin’ Gnomes.
Option 1: CrossOver
CrossOver is a compatibility layer that lets you run Windows games directly on your Mac without Boot Camp, a Windows license, or a virtual machine. It translates Windows calls to macOS in real-time.
How does Burglin’ Gnomes perform?
Burglin’ Gnomes has a Platinum rating on ProtonDB , meaning the community reports it runs very well via Wine-based compatibility layers like CrossOver. CrossOver compatibility depends on how well the game runs under Wine — check ProtonDB for the latest community reports.
How to get started:
- Download CrossOver ($74/year, 14-day free trial)
- Install Steam through CrossOver
- Purchase and install Burglin’ Gnomes
- Launch and play
Option 2: Whisky (Free Alternative)
Whisky offers similar functionality to CrossOver for free. It’s built on the same Wine technology but is open-source and community-maintained.
The trade-off: Whisky requires more manual setup. You may need to install additional components and troubleshoot yourself. Since Burglin’ Gnomes is based on Wine technology, if ProtonDB shows good results, Whisky should behave similarly. Check ProtonDB for the latest reports.
How to get started:
- Download Whisky (free)
- Create a new bottle (Whisky’s term for a Windows environment)
- Install Steam inside the bottle
- Install Burglin’ Gnomes through Steam
- Troubleshoot as needed (check the Whisky Discord for help)
Option 3: CloudDeck (Cloud Gaming)
If you’d rather skip the compatibility hassles entirely, CloudDeck takes a different approach: instead of running the game on your Mac, it runs on our high-performance servers and streams the video to your screen.
Your Mac just needs to display the stream, so hardware limitations don’t matter. CloudDeck plays Windows games via Proton, and Burglin’ Gnomes works great in that setup.
Best for:
- Macs that struggle with Wine compatibility
- Anyone who wants zero setup headaches
- Playing co-op without worrying about compatibility tweaks
Requirements: Any Mac and a stable internet connection (15+ Mbps recommended).
How to get started:
- Sign up for CloudDeck ($19.99/month, cancel anytime)
- Connect using Moonlight or your browser
- Install Burglin’ Gnomes from your Steam library
- Play immediately
Which Option Should You Choose?
| Your Situation | Best Choice |
|---|---|
| Powerful Mac, comfortable with setup | CrossOver |
| Tech-savvy, prefer free solutions | Whisky |
| Any Mac, zero setup | CloudDeck |
FAQ
Why isn’t there a Mac version?
Cheekwood Games built Burglin’ Gnomes for Windows. Most Windows games use DirectX, which doesn’t run natively on macOS.
Does co-op work on CloudDeck?
Yes. CloudDeck streams a full Windows game environment, so online co-op works just like it would on a gaming PC.
Can I use my Steam saves?
Yes. All three options work with Steam Cloud saves.
Last updated: June 2026.
