Parallels
Full Windows 11 ARM inside macOS.
Difficulty: MediumCost: $74 (CrossOver) + Game CostEstimate
Parallels
How to play Icarus on Mac
Survival · 2021
Best in a Windows 11 ARM virtual machine via Parallels.
Overall rating: Not enough votes yet
Your setup
Detect your Mac to see whether Icarus will run.
Best in a Windows 11 ARM virtual machine via Parallels.
How to run Icarus on your Mac in 2026
Best path: Parallels
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.
- Heads up on Parallels: Estimated compatibility — no verified report yet
| Method | Quality | Difficulty | Cost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ParallelsPick | Good | Medium | $99/yr | Get it ↗ |
| Boosteroid | Estimate | Easy | $9.95 /mo | Get it ↗ |
Icarus
ICARUS is a solo or multiplayer PvE survival game. Explore a savage wilderness in the aftermath of terraforming gone wrong. Complete narrative quests as either Open World operations or Individual Missions. Explore, build, craft and hunt while seeking your fortune and prospecting for exotic matter.
Icarus is playable via CrossOver with D3DMetal enabled, but it requires significant hardware (16GB+ RAM) and aggressive use of FSR to maintain stable frame rates.
What the world thinks
Performance
How Icarus runs on your Mac, from our performance model and player reports.
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Best way to play it on Mac
Icarus is playable via CrossOver with D3DMetal enabled, but it requires significant hardware (16GB+ RAM) and aggressive use of FSR to maintain stable frame rates.
See if this is the right method for your setup
Ways to play Icarus on Mac
Here are all the options available, ranked by what we recommend first.
Boosteroid
Needs 25+ Mbps internet, wired ideal.
Difficulty: EasyCost: $9.95 / monthEstimate
Compare methods at a glance
Lower = betterHow each supported method stacks up on setup effort, time and runtime overhead.
Method
Setup Difficulty
Time Investment
Performance Overhead
- ParallelsVMTop pickSetupModerateTime30 minOverheadHigh
- BoosteroidCloudSetupSimpleTime5 minOverheadLow
Where to buy Icarus
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Step-by-step setup guides
Idiot-proof walkthroughs for every method.
How to run Icarus on Mac with Parallels
Estimate· CompatibilityUsing Parallels to play Icarus 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.
Step-by-step
- Buy / start a trial of Parallels Desktop.
- Install Windows 11 ARM via the one-click wizard.
- Inside Windows, install Steam / Xbox app and Icarus.
- Enable DirectX 11 in Parallels settings for best 3D performance.
Video proof
Try Parallels Desktop free ↗Affiliate link — supports the site at no extra cost.
How to run Icarus on Mac with Boosteroid
Estimate· StreamingStreaming Icarus 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.
Step-by-step
- Create a Boosteroid account and pick a plan.
- Use the web client or download the macOS app.
- Add Icarus from their library (you'll need to own it on Steam/Epic).
Video proof
Get Boosteroid ↗Affiliate link — supports the site at no extra cost.
Our recommendation
For most Mac players the best way to play Icarus on Mac is Parallels. Full Windows 11 ARM inside macOS.
| Method | Quality | Difficulty | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| ParallelsPick | Good | Medium | $99/year + Windows licence |
| Boosteroid | Estimate | Easy | $9.95 / month |
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