Parallels
Full Windows 11 ARM inside macOS.

Simulation · 2025
Plays smoothly through CrossOver on Apple Silicon.
Overall rating: Tricky to run on Mac · 0% of 1 players say it runs well
Plays smoothly through CrossOver on Apple Silicon.
Should run in a Windows 11 ARM virtual machine (Parallels). This is an estimate — not a verified report. Demanding 3D titles may need lower settings.
| Method | Quality | Difficulty | Cost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ParallelsPick | Good | Medium | $99/yr | Get it ↗ |
| Boosteroid | Estimate | Easy | $9.95 /mo | Get it ↗ |
| Whisky | Estimate | Medium | Free | Get it ↗ |
| GeForce NOW | Estimate | Easy | Free / $9.99 /mo | Get it ↗ |
Foundation is a grid-less, laidback medieval city-building game with a focus on organic development, monument construction and resource management.
Foundation is not natively supported on macOS, but it runs exceptionally well on M-series chips via CrossOver with D3DMetal enabled, feeling almost like a native port.
If you prefer a free open-source solution, Whisky (which also utilizes GPTK) is a viable alternative. Create a bottle, ensure D3DMetal is active in the bottle configuration, and install Steam. Performance is generally similar to CrossOver, though CrossOver often offers better stability for long play sessions.
How Foundation runs on your Mac, from our performance model and player reports.
See exactly how Foundation will run on your Mac
Pick your chip and RAM for a personalised estimate.
Foundation is not natively supported on macOS, but it runs exceptionally well on M-series chips via CrossOver with D3DMetal enabled, feeling almost like a native port.
Boosteroid and GeForce NOW are also available for cloud performance on a strong connection.
Full Windows 11 ARM inside macOS.
Needs 25+ Mbps internet, wired ideal.
Free option built on Game Porting Toolkit.
Needs 25+ Mbps internet, wired ideal.
How each supported method stacks up on setup effort, time and runtime overhead.
Live prices compared across trusted PC key sellers — updates every few hours.
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Idiot-proof walkthroughs for every method.
Using Parallels to play Foundation means running a full copy of Windows 11 ARM inside macOS. This is the most "it just works" approach for games that don't behave under CrossOver, and DirectX 11 is hardware-accelerated. You'll need a Windows license and roughly 80 GB of disk space.
Streaming Foundation through Boosteroid is the fastest way to start playing on a Mac — there's nothing to install, no Windows VM, no compatibility layer. The game runs on a remote GPU and your Mac just receives the video, which means even a base M1 MacBook Air can play the most demanding AAA titles at high settings. The tradeoff is that you need a stable internet connection (ideally wired or 5GHz Wi-Fi with 25+ Mbps down) and a subscription.
Running Foundation through Whisky translates the game's Windows DirectX calls into Metal on the fly. Performance is impressively close to a native Windows PC on Apple Silicon, and you stay entirely inside macOS — no VM, no rebooting. Expect to spend 10–20 minutes on first-time setup.
Streaming Foundation through GeForce NOW is the fastest way to start playing on a Mac — there's nothing to install, no Windows VM, no compatibility layer. The game runs on a remote GPU and your Mac just receives the video, which means even a base M1 MacBook Air can play the most demanding AAA titles at high settings. The tradeoff is that you need a stable internet connection (ideally wired or 5GHz Wi-Fi with 25+ Mbps down) and a subscription.
For most Mac players we recommend Parallels as the fastest, smoothest way to play Foundation. Full Windows 11 ARM inside macOS.
| Method | Quality | Difficulty | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| ParallelsPick | Good | Medium | $99/year + Windows licence |
| Boosteroid | Estimate | Easy | $9.95 / month |
| Whisky | Estimate | Medium | Free |
| GeForce NOW | Estimate | Easy | Free tier / $9.99+ per month |
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