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 | Untested | no report yet — send one |
| D3DMetalApple's Game Porting Toolkit | Reported | community reports |
No dated Highball run yet. When one lands it records the renderer, the engine build and the macOS version it was seen on — which is what stops a verdict quietly rotting. Send one.
Notes
Works on D3DMetal, started from Highball's library. GPU-bound on an M4 at 1920x1080: about 15 fps on the highest preset, 30 fps on medium and 32.5 fps on low with DLSS Performance. DLSS needs two switches: Enable DLSS (MetalFX) in the environment's Graphics settings, and DLSS in the game's video settings. Memory is tight on 16 GB (swap in use). (highball-db#366)
Known issues
The 3D world is black while menus, HUD and text draw
What helps set Mode for this game to D3DMetal on its page and start it from Highball's library
Why seen on DXVK, and when the game is started from Steam's own window, which gives it the environment's mode instead of the one set on its page (highball-db#366)
Provenance
community consensus (AppleGamingWiki / r-macgaming / MacPlay), unverified by Highball. Reported by w8079 (highball-db#366, 2026-10-07), Apple M4 with 16 GB, macOS 27.0.1, Highball 0.10.10, engine x64-sikarugir10.0_6-r21, D3DMetal as the game's own mode, rated 4 of 5 after about 16 minutes on D3DMetal.
Before installing anything, it is worth checking whether the game already ships a native Mac build.
Common questions
Does Palworld work on Mac?
Palworld has no native Mac build, but it is reported to run on Apple Silicon through Highball, a free open-source compatibility layer. This comes from community reports rather than a Highball test run, so treat it as a reasonable expectation rather than a guarantee.
Which renderer should I use for Palworld?
D3DMetal. Highball can translate Direct3D through DXVK, DXMT or Apple's D3DMetal, and the right choice varies by game. The database records D3DMetal for Palworld. Highball uses it automatically when the game has a row; to set it by hand, open Settings, then Environments.
Contribute a result
This page is generated from an open database. If you have run Palworld 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.