How to Play PEAK on Mac (Best Options Compared)
- Sven Frese
- Games
- June 15, 2025
PEAK is the chaotic climbing party game that’s been taking over friend groups everywhere—imagine Getting Over It meets Fall Guys, but with your friends screaming as you all tumble back down the mountain. It’s hilarious, frustrating, and endlessly replayable. While the developers haven’t released a Mac version, that hasn’t stopped determined Mac gamers from joining the chaos.
Mac users have three solid options: CrossOver (a compatibility layer that runs Windows games directly on your Mac), Whisky (a free alternative to CrossOver), or CloudDeck (cloud gaming that streams the game from a remote PC). Here’s how they compare for PEAK.
Option 1: CrossOver
CrossOver is a compatibility layer that lets you run Windows games directly on your Mac—no Boot Camp, no Windows license, no virtual machine. It translates Windows commands to macOS in real-time, so games run natively on your hardware.
How does PEAK perform?
PEAK is surprisingly lightweight and runs beautifully on Apple Silicon. An M1 Pro with 16GB delivers a buttery 100 FPS at Max settings—more than enough for precise climbing. Even a base M1 with 32GB hits 60 FPS at High settings. The game isn’t particularly demanding, so most modern Macs handle it well. Performance in Practice Arena can be slightly lower (around 50 FPS on M1 Max at Low settings), likely due to the open environment.
Quick reference:
- ✅ M1 Pro 16GB — 100 FPS, Max settings
- ✅ M1 32GB — 60 FPS, High settings
- ⚠️ M1 Max — 50 FPS, Low settings (Practice Arena)
- ❌ 8GB RAM Macs — May struggle with performance
How to get started:
- Download CrossOver ($74/year, 14-day free trial)
- Install Steam through CrossOver
- Purchase and install PEAK
- Join your friends and start climbing
Tips: More RAM helps with stability—32GB users report the smoothest experience.
Option 2: Whisky (Free Alternative)
If you’d rather not pay for CrossOver, Whisky offers similar functionality for free. It’s built on the same Wine technology that powers CrossOver, but it’s open-source and community-maintained.
Performance: Expect similar results to CrossOver—the underlying technology is the same.
The trade-off: Whisky requires more manual setup. You may need to install additional Windows components, troubleshoot shader compilation issues, and tweak settings yourself. It’s a great option if you’re comfortable with technical tinkering, but CrossOver’s polish might be worth $74/year if you value convenience.
How to get started:
- Download Whisky (free)
- Create a new “bottle” (Whisky’s term for a Windows environment)
- Install Steam inside the bottle
- Install PEAK through Steam
- Troubleshoot as needed (check the Whisky Discord for help)
Option 3: CloudDeck (Cloud Gaming)
If your Mac doesn’t have the horsepower for CrossOver, or you just want to skip the compatibility headaches, CloudDeck offers a completely different approach: cloud gaming.
Instead of running the game on your Mac, CloudDeck runs it on our high-performance servers and streams the video to your screen. Your Mac just needs to display the stream, so even an 8GB MacBook Air works perfectly.
Performance: 60 FPS at 1080p, High settings (runs on our cloud servers).
Best for:
- 8GB RAM Macs
- Macs with limited storage (game needs 8GB locally)
- Anyone who wants zero setup headaches
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 PEAK from your Steam library
- Play immediately—no compatibility tweaks needed
Which Option Should You Choose?
| Your Situation | Best Choice |
|---|---|
| Any M-series Mac, want best performance | CrossOver |
| Tech-savvy, prefer free solutions | Whisky |
| Any Mac, want it to just work | CloudDeck |
FAQ
Why isn’t there a Mac version?
The developers haven’t ported it yet. Most Windows games use DirectX, which doesn’t run natively on macOS.
Can I use my Steam saves?
Yes—all three options work with Steam Cloud saves.
Last updated: March 2026.
