Mac compatibility
Can you play Insurgency: Sandstorm on a Mac?
Short answer: Probably not — Insurgency: Sandstorm uses Easy Anti-Cheat, which needs a Windows kernel driver that no Wine-based tool can load. Untested, but the anti-cheat decides this one.
What we know
Steam lists Insurgency: Sandstorm for Windows only. Its requirements call for DirectX 11, which is the part Grapple's DXMT layer covers — but the anti-cheat decides this one, not the graphics layer.
Steam's store page discloses that it uses a kernel level anti-cheat, Easy Anti-Cheat, which must be removed manually after uninstalling.
AreWeAntiCheatYet lists it as supported on Linux/Proton. Whether that carries over to Wine on macOS is exactly what a test has to show.
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 Easy 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 Insurgency: Sandstorm on a Mac?
Won't run, 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 Insurgency: Sandstorm from working?
It uses Easy 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.
Which DirectX does Insurgency: Sandstorm use?
Insurgency: Sandstorm'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 Insurgency: Sandstorm?
Steam doesn't offer a macOS build of Insurgency: Sandstorm; 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 Spotted something out of date?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, platforms and anti-cheat disclosure (checked 23 September 2026)
- AreWeAntiCheatYet — Insurgency: Sandstorm, listed as "Supported" on Linux/Proton (checked 23 September 2026)
- Wikipedia — Easy Anti-Cheat (checked 21 September 2026)
Try Insurgency: Sandstorm 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.
Insurgency: Sandstorm is a trademark of its owner and is named here only to identify the game. Grapple isn't affiliated with or endorsed by New World Interactive.