Valve has released a Steam beta version with full native support for Apple Silicon processors, marking the end of Rosetta 2 emulator dependency for Mac gamers.
G. Ostrov
The Mac gaming industry is experiencing a pivotal moment. Valve has officially announced the release of a Steam beta version with full native support for Apple Silicon processors, fundamentally changing the gaming experience on Mac computers.
What Changed in the New Steam Version
The main innovation lies in Steam Client and Steam Helper now running natively on Apple Silicon processors. This means complete abandonment of using the Rosetta 2 emulator, previously required to run applications developed for Intel processors on Apple's Arm architecture.
Benefits of Native Support
Native Steam operation on Apple Silicon provides numerous advantages:
- Enhanced Performance: Direct hardware interaction without emulation layers
- Improved Stability: Fewer crashes and freezes when launching games
- Optimized Power Consumption: More efficient processor resource utilization
- Faster Launch: Reduced loading times for client and games
Context of Changes in Apple's Ecosystem
Valve's decision is particularly relevant given Apple's recent statements. The Cupertino company announced it would cease releasing major updates for Intel-based Macs after macOS Tahoe release. Moreover, Rosetta 2 emulator support will be limited to macOS 27, after which only a stripped-down version will remain for supporting legacy Intel-framework games.
How to Access the Beta Version
Users can test the new functionality right now. To do this, you need to:
- Open Steam settings
- Select the beta participation option
- Agree to update and restart the client
Impact on Mac Gaming Industry
This update could become a turning point for Mac's gaming ecosystem. With improved performance and stability, game developers will gain additional motivation to create Mac versions of their projects. This is especially important given the growing popularity of M-series processor Mac computers among creative professionals and regular users.
More detailed information can be found on the official Steam website.
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