Mac compatibility
Can you play Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition on a Mac?
Short answer: Likely to work, but not tested yet — Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition requires DirectX 12, which Grapple runs through D3DMetal. Nothing extra to download; tell us how it goes.
What we know
Steam lists Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition for Windows only. Its minimum and recommended requirements both call for DirectX 12.
Grapple ships Apple's D3DMetal for DirectX 12, so there is nothing extra for you to download. That's an expectation, not a result — we haven't tested it yet.
Grapple settings
Nothing verified yet. Where to start, based on its DirectX version (in the app, the same options are in the game's settings):
- DirectX 12 runs through D3DMetal, which comes with Grapple — a new install already uses it, and nothing needs downloading. See the Game Porting Toolkit guide.
- To see frame rates, turn on the Metal HUD:
grapple set Steam hud on
Test record
None yet.
Played it on Grapple?
Tell other players whether Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition works for you. One tap does it.
FAQ
Can I play Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition on a Mac?
Likely to work — not tested yet, but nobody has tested it with Grapple yet. That's what the game's published facts suggest, not a result. The page changes to Works once players report it working.
What might stop Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition from working?
DirectX 12 is the newest thing Grapple translates, so it's also where we've seen the most surprises. Nobody has run this one yet.
Which DirectX does Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition use?
Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition's requirements list DirectX 12. Grapple starts it on D3DMetal, Apple's DirectX 11 and 12 translator, which Grapple includes and uses by default.
Is there a Mac version of Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition?
Steam doesn't offer a macOS build of Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition; it's listed for Windows only.
Sources
Every factual claim on this page comes from these. Spotted something out of date? Let us know.
- Steam store page — system requirements and supported platforms (checked 22 September 2026)
Try Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition yourself
Grapple's Free plan runs one game, forever, so you can find out on your own Mac without paying. Then tell us how it went with the buttons above, so the next player knows.
Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition is a trademark of its owner and is named here only to identify the game. Grapple isn't affiliated with or endorsed by Relic Entertainment, World's Edge.