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 yet. Where to start, based on its DirectX version (in the app, the same options are in the game's settings):
- 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
None yet.
Played it on Grapple?
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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, 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 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.
Which DirectX does Call of Duty: Black Ops III use?
Call of Duty: Black Ops III's requirements list DirectX 11. 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 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.
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
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.
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).