How to Play Star Wars: Empire at War on Mac
- Sven Frese
- Games
- August 29, 2024
Star Wars: Empire at War used to run on the Mac. That version stopped working years ago, and the Gold Pack on Steam only runs on Windows. The game isn’t on GeForce Now either.
You can still play Empire at War on your Mac with CloudDeck .
| Star Wars: Empire at War at a glance | |
|---|---|
| Developer | Petroglyph |
| Steam release | May 25, 2010 |
| Mac version | Not on Steam. The 2007 Mac release no longer runs on current macOS |
| Steam Deck rating by Valve | Playable |
| Player rating on ProtonDB | Gold (146 reports) |
| On GeForce Now | No |
| Steam reviews | Overwhelmingly Positive (about 43,000 reviews) |
| Controller support | None listed on Steam |
Sources: Steam store page, ProtonDB, Are We Anti-Cheat Yet, GeForce Now game list. Checked on October 1, 2026.
What happened to the Mac version?
Empire at War came out for Windows in February 2006, and a Mac version followed in April 2007. That version is a 32-bit app. Apple removed support for 32-bit apps with macOS Catalina in 2019, so it does not start on a Mac with a current system. PCGamingWiki has the details.
What you get with the Gold Pack
The Gold Pack contains Empire at War and its expansion Forces of Corruption. You lead the Rebellion, the Empire or, in the expansion, the criminal underworld. According to the Steam store page, there are more than 80 ground and space locations to fight over.
According to PCGamingWiki, the Steam version received patches between 2017 and 2021 that restored multiplayer and added support for the Steam Workshop, where the game’s large modding community shares its work.
Play Empire at War on your Mac with CloudDeck
CloudDeck gives you a gaming PC in the cloud. The game runs on that PC and is streamed to your Mac, so you don’t need Windows.
CloudDeck runs Windows games with the same technology as Valve’s Steam Deck. Valve rates the Gold Pack as Playable on the Steam Deck, and players on ProtonDB give it a Gold rating based on more than 140 reports.
Here is how to get started:
- Create your CloudDeck account and start your subscription.
- Install Moonlight , a free streaming app, on your Mac and connect to your CloudDeck.
- Log in to Steam and install Star Wars Empire at War - Gold Pack.
- Start the game and play with your Mac’s keyboard and mouse.
You need to own Star Wars Empire at War - Gold Pack on Steam. CloudDeck is available in Europe, the United States and Canada. The streaming app needs macOS 10.13 or newer.
Our help center has a step-by-step guide with screenshots for connecting with Moonlight.
Tips for playing on a Mac
Use a mouse. The game has no controller support, and a real mouse is far more comfortable than a trackpad for a strategy game.
Your saves are stored in Steam Cloud.
Set the right resolution. If you see black bars above and below the picture, the stream doesn't match your screen. For most MacBooks we recommend 1680x1050. Our guide on removing black bars shows where to set it.
Check your keyboard layout. CloudDeck starts with a US keyboard layout. If you use a German, French or other keyboard, some keys won't match until you change the layout.
If the picture stutters, connect your Mac by cable or 5 GHz Wi-Fi and turn off location services in macOS. There are more tips in our guide on lag and stutters.
To end a session, press Ctrl+Alt+Shift+Q in Moonlight.
What about multiplayer?
Empire at War has online and LAN matches for up to 8 players.
We haven’t tested multiplayer on CloudDeck.
Other ways to play on a Mac
CrossOver is an app that runs some Windows games directly on your Mac, without streaming. It is a paid app with a 14-day free trial. CodeWeavers keeps a compatibility database where you can look up the current rating for Empire at War before you buy.
We haven’t tested Empire at War with CrossOver. It runs the game on your own Mac, so it costs less in the long run if it works for you. CloudDeck is the better choice if you want to skip the setup, or if you also want to play Windows games that need more power than your Mac has.
What it costs
CloudDeck costs $19.99 per month, and you can cancel anytime. We don't offer a free trial. If you're not happy and have used your CloudDeck for less than 4 hours, we'll refund you. You can sign up here.
