Mac compatibility
Can you play Call of Duty: Black Ops III on a Mac?
Short answer: Try the Mac version first — Steam carries Aspyr's macOS port of Black Ops III. It was built for Intel Macs; if it won't run on yours, the Windows version (DirectX 11) through Grapple is the untested fallback.
What we know
Steam lists Call of Duty: Black Ops III for Windows and macOS. The Mac port is by Aspyr, and its requirements (macOS 10.13.6, Intel Core i5, AMD Radeon graphics; NVIDIA and Intel GPUs not officially supported) date from the Intel Mac era.
The Mac build's listed requirements were written for Intel Macs, and we haven't checked whether it still runs on current macOS or Apple Silicon. If it doesn't, the Windows version through Grapple is the fallback — also untested.
The Windows version lists DirectX 11, which Grapple translates to Metal through D3DMetal or DXMT. AreWeAntiCheatYet lists Black Ops III as supported on Linux/Proton, with VAC and Treyarch's own anti-cheat.
Grapple settings
Nothing verified for this game yet — but here's where to start, based on its DirectX version. If you get somewhere, tell us and we'll put the real settings here. You can change the same options in the app. The commands below assume the game came from Steam; use Epic, GOG or Games instead if that's where it runs in Grapple.
- DirectX 10/11: a new install is set to Automatic, which picks D3DMetal or DXMT for you. If the game won't start or renders wrongly, naming a layer is the usual next try:
grapple set Steam graphics dxmt - To see frame rates, turn on the Metal HUD:
grapple set Steam hud on
Heads-up: this game uses VAC and Treyarch Anti-Cheat. Anti-cheat support can differ between Linux and macOS, so treat online play as unverified until someone has run it.
Test record
Empty until someone runs it. A record here lists the Mac, macOS and Grapple versions, the engine and graphics layer, the settings and every check — yours can fill it, or ours will.
FAQ
Can I play Call of Duty: Black Ops III on a Mac?
Steam lists a macOS version of Black Ops III, ported by Aspyr. Its Mac requirements ask for macOS 10.13.6 or later, a quad-core Intel Core i5 and an AMD Radeon GPU, and say NVIDIA and Intel GPUs aren't officially supported. Likely to work — not tested yet. DirectX 11 games are squarely what Grapple translates to Metal — through Apple's D3DMetal, which comes with the app, or the open-source DXMT. That's what the game's published facts suggest, not a result. We publish a verified status only after running the game on a real Mac.
What might stop Call of Duty: Black Ops III from working?
It uses VAC and Treyarch Anti-Cheat. The developer enabled it for Linux/Proton, but we know of nothing equivalent for Wine on macOS, so treat online play as unverified. There's a native Mac version too — this expectation is about the Windows version run through Grapple.
Is there a Mac version of Call of Duty: Black Ops III?
Steam lists a macOS version of Black Ops III, ported by Aspyr. Its Mac requirements ask for macOS 10.13.6 or later, a quad-core Intel Core i5 and an AMD Radeon GPU, and say NVIDIA and Intel GPUs aren't officially supported.
How can I try Call of Duty: Black Ops III myself?
Grapple's Free plan runs one game, forever — enough to settle this one. Add Steam in one click (launchers and Windows tools never count as your game), install the game and launch it: that first launch is what claims it, and you can swap it for a different game once every 30 days. If it won't start, try the other graphics layer in the game's settings. Then send us the result — the game and where you bought it, your Mac model and macOS version, the engine and graphics layer it ran on (grapple info Steam), your in-game settings, the frame rate from the Metal HUD, and screenshots of any error or a diagnostics report (grapple report Steam) — and we'll publish it here once it's a real test run.
Sources
Every factual claim on this page comes from these. Spotted something out of date? Let us know.
- Steam store page — system requirements, platforms and anti-cheat disclosure (checked 28 September 2026)
- AreWeAntiCheatYet — Call of Duty: Black Ops III, listed as "Supported" on Linux/Proton (checked 28 September 2026)
Try Call of Duty: Black Ops III yourself — and tell us
Grapple's Free plan runs one game, forever — exactly enough to settle Call of Duty: Black Ops III. It's claimed the first time you play it, launchers and Windows tools don't count towards it, and you can swap it for another game once every 30 days. Install it, play for a bit, and send us what you saw. Every result — working or broken — decides what we test next, and verified results get published here with credit if you want it.
What to send
- The game and where you bought it (Steam, GOG, Epic…)
- Your Mac model, chip and macOS version
- The engine and graphics layer the game ran on —
grapple info Steam - The resolution and graphics preset you played at
- Frame rate from the Metal HUD, and the scene you measured it in —
grapple set Steam hud on - Screenshots of any error, plus a diagnostics report —
grapple report Steam
Those commands assume the game came from Steam; use Epic, GOG or Games instead if that's where it runs in Grapple. How to create a diagnostics report — it collects the game's settings, versions and logs into one zip, with your username removed.
Call of Duty: Black Ops III is a trademark of its owner and is named here only to identify the game. Grapple isn't affiliated with or endorsed by Treyarch (Mac version by Aspyr).