PC Game Port
Anti-cheat on Mac: which online games won't run, and why
Last updated: October 25, 2026
Anti-cheat is the most common reason a Windows game won't run on a Mac. The game itself may translate fine, but its anti-cheat refuses to let it start, or kicks you out of online matches. No Mac app can fix that, so check before you buy a game. This guide explains why it happens, which kinds of anti-cheat block Macs, and how to check a game.
What anti-cheat does
Online games run anti-cheat software next to the game to catch cheat programs. It checks what else is running, whether the game's files were changed, and whether the computer looks like a normal Windows PC. Anything unusual can block you. A Mac running a Windows game through a translation layer looks unusual, even when you aren't cheating.
Kernel-level anti-cheat: the hard wall
The strictest anti-cheat systems install a driver into the core of Windows, called the kernel, so they can watch everything on the PC. On a Mac there's no Windows kernel to install that driver into. Translation apps translate a game's normal requests, but they can't load Windows drivers, and macOS doesn't allow that kind of driver anyway. So the anti-cheat can't start, and the game won't start either.
This is common in competitive online shooters and other games where cheating ruins it for everyone. Riot Vanguard (used by Valorant) and Ricochet (used by Call of Duty) are two well-known examples. Virtual machines don't help: many kernel-level systems refuse to run inside one on purpose.
The only way to play these games on a Mac is cloud streaming, where the game runs on a real Windows PC somewhere else. See the four ways to play Windows games on a Mac.
Easy Anti-Cheat and BattlEye: it depends on the developer
Easy Anti-Cheat and BattlEye are used by a lot of online games. Both let a game's developer turn on support for compatibility layers, the kind of software that runs Windows games without Windows. That support was built for Linux and the Steam Deck, and each developer decides whether to enable it.
- If the developer hasn't turned it on, online play is blocked on a Mac.
- If they have, online play can work, but it isn't guaranteed on a Mac. Try it during a free trial before you count on it.
What still works
- Single-player and offline modes. Some games only run anti-cheat in online modes, so the campaign may still play.
- Online games without anti-cheat, or with anti-cheat that runs on the game's servers instead of your computer.
- Co-op and older online games, which often use lighter checks or none.
Bans: what to know
Some publishers ban players who use compatibility layers or Macs, even without cheating. That's the publisher's choice, and no Mac app can control it. If a game's rules forbid it, don't play it online that way. Never use tools that hide or switch off anti-cheat. Every game's rules count that as cheating, and it's the quickest way to lose an account.
How to check a game before you buy it
- Read the store page. On Steam, games with kernel-level anti-cheat show a notice about it. Look for the names Vanguard, Ricochet, Easy Anti-Cheat or BattlEye under the game's details or in its end-user license agreement.
- Search the game's support pages for "Linux", "Steam Deck" or "Proton". If the developer supports those, its anti-cheat may allow compatibility layers.
- Paste the requirements into PC Game Port. Check System Requirements warns you when the requirements mention anti-cheat.
- Try it free. PC Game Port is free for 14 days with no card, so you can try a game's online mode before you pay anything.