Highball
Which renderer to use
Highball can run each game through three different Direct3D translation layers. This is what the database knows for this title — empty rows are open questions, not failures.
| Renderer | Verdict | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| DXVKDirect3D 9-11 over Vulkan | Untested | no report yet — send one |
| DXMTDirect3D 11 over Metal | Recommended | run by Highball on Apple Silicon |
| D3DMetalApple's Game Porting Toolkit | Untested | no report yet — send one |
last confirmed 2026-10-05 · engine x64-crossover26.3-r15 · macOS 27.0. Dated runs record the engine build and, where the reporter gave it, the macOS version.
Notes
Plays on macOS 26 with engine x64-crossover26.3-r7 or later and the csgo-legacy recipe: the game alone gets the engine's wined3d Direct3D 9 (a native d3d9.dll in its bin folder, taken first for csgo.exe) and an NVIDIA identity; r7 carries the 32-bit NVAPI stub the game then needs. The environment stays on DXMT, so Steam and every other game are untouched. 17 fps at 1728x1117 with the defaults on an M1 Pro, so lower the resolution or the settings. Why this route: on DXVK's Direct3D 9 the map load on macOS 26 either loses the GPU device on Source's HDR pass (highball#34) or never finishes after the console reaches INGAME, and on the Wine 10 engine it freezes in a lost wake-up; wined3d (CodeWeavers' Direct3D 9 on OpenGL, the route CrossOver users take) has none of those, and it fails Source's shadow-map check only with an AMD identity. History: NVAPI 0xFFFFFFFE with any non-AMD identity was a dead end while the stub was placed beside the game; NVIDIA's SDK loads nvapi.dll from the system directory only. After moving a bottle to r7, Repair it once so the stub's placeholder is written. On macOS 14 and 15 the game also runs on DXVK's Direct3D 9 (verified 2026-09-02 on the Wine 10 engine). Cold check 2026-09-11 on Highball 0.9.7 (M1 Pro, macOS 26.6.2, engine r7): the game deleted and downloaded again by Steam launched from Play, which put the d3d9.dll back and started it on wined3d with the NVAPI stub loaded; it held its 1728x1117 window for three minutes. No round played in that check. Re-checked on 2026-10-05 on an M4 with macOS 27.0 and the Wine 11 engine r15: with the recipe applied the game loads de_dust2 straight from +map and plays the round (console INGAME); without it, the CSM check error with the AMD identity.
Known issues
On DXVK's Direct3D 9 (the default graphics mode) on macOS 26: the map load stops at 'Initializing game data', or the screen goes black at the end of the load.
What helps The csgo-legacy recipe on engine r7 or later: wined3d plus an NVIDIA identity for csgo.exe.
Why MoltenVK loses the device on Source's zero-attachment HDR pass (highball#34), and a second stall after INGAME that is not explained.
On the Wine 10 engine (macOS 26): freezes at 'Initializing game data' with the process idle.
What helps Use engine r7 and the recipe.
Why A lost wake-up in Source's job hand-off, a scheduling-order race macOS 26 exposes (wineserver trace, 2026-09-02).
One-click setup
Highball ships a recipe for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (Legacy): open the game in your Library and apply it. The recipe carries the tested renderer and any per-game fixes, so you don't have to reproduce them by hand. Read the recipe.
Provenance
played here on the free standalone app, M1 Pro, macOS 26.6.2, engine x64-crossover26.3-r7, 2026-09-11
Before installing anything, it is worth checking whether the game already ships a native Mac build.
Common questions
Does Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (Legacy) work on Mac?
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (Legacy) has no native Mac build, but it is reported to run on Apple Silicon through Highball, a free open-source compatibility layer. Highball has run it on Apple Silicon (last confirmed 2026-10-05 · engine x64-crossover26.3-r15 · macOS 27.0).
Which renderer should I use for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (Legacy)?
DXMT. Highball can translate Direct3D through DXVK, DXMT or Apple's D3DMetal, and the right choice varies by game. The database records DXMT for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (Legacy), and applying the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (Legacy) recipe sets it for you.
Is there a one-click setup for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (Legacy)?
Yes. Highball ships a recipe for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (Legacy) that sets the tested renderer and any per-game fixes. Open the game in your Library and apply it.
Contribute a result
This page is generated from an open database. If you have run Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (Legacy) on Apple Silicon, working or not, a report takes a minute and fills in the empty rows above. Send a report, or read how the data is put together.