Parallels
Full Windows 11 ARM inside macOS.
Difficulty: EasyCost: $16.99/mo (Game Pass)Estimate
CrossOver
How to play State of Decay 2 on Mac
Survival · 2018
Plays smoothly through CrossOver on Apple Silicon.
Overall rating: Runs great on Mac · 100% of 1 players say it runs well
Your setup
Detect your Mac to see whether State of Decay 2 will run.
Plays smoothly through CrossOver on Apple Silicon.
How to run State of Decay 2 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 ↗ |
| Xbox Cloud Gaming | Estimate | Easy | $16.99 /mo | Get it ↗ |
State of Decay 2
The dead have risen and civilization has fallen. Now it's up to you to gather survivors, scavenge for resources and build a community in a post-apocalyptic world – a world where you define what it means to survive in this ultimate zombie survival simulation.
Launches via CrossOver / community wrappers (Mac and Cheese has been reported to work for some users, with varying reliability). Easy Anti-Cheat blocks the online co-op mode entirely; single-player is unaffected. Some players report the Xbox Live sign-in step hanging or failing depending on their Microsoft account state. Not a frictionless experience — hedge accordingly.
What the world thinks
- Subscription: Ensure you have an active Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription.
- Browser: Use Safari or Chrome. For the best experience, visit xbox.com/play.
- Controller: Connectivity is best with a Bluetooth-enabled Xbox or PlayStation controller. While 'Better xCloud' scripts exist for keyboard/mouse, native support is built for controllers.
- Network: Use a 5GHz Wi-Fi band or, ideally, an Ethernet connection. Minimum 20Mbps download speed is required for a stable 1080p/60fps stream.
Boosteroid
If you own the game on Steam or Epic Games Store and don't want to use Game Pass, Boosteroid is a high-quality alternative.
- Launch the Boosteroid web app or native macOS client.
- Search for 'State of Decay 2' and log in to your respective store.
- This method provides lower latency in many European and US regions compared to Xbox Cloud Gaming.
Performance
How State of Decay 2 runs on your Mac, from our performance model and player reports.
See exactly how State of Decay 2 will run on your Mac
Pick your chip and RAM for a personalised estimate.
Best way to play it on Mac
Launches via CrossOver / community wrappers (Mac and Cheese has been reported to work for some users, with varying reliability). Easy Anti-Cheat blocks the online co-op mode entirely; single-player is unaffected. Some players report the Xbox Live sign-in step hanging or failing depending on their Microsoft account state. Not a frictionless experience — hedge accordingly.
See if this is the right method for your setup
Ways to play State of Decay 2 on Mac
Boosteroid and Xbox Cloud Gaming are also available for cloud performance on a strong connection.
Boosteroid
Needs 25+ Mbps internet, wired ideal.
Difficulty: EasyCost: $9.95 / monthEstimate
Xbox Cloud Gaming
Needs 25+ Mbps internet, wired ideal.
Difficulty: EasyCost: Game Pass Ultimate subscriptionEstimate
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
- Xbox Cloud GamingCloudSetupSimpleTime5 minOverheadLow
Where to buy State of Decay 2
Live prices compared across trusted PC key sellers — updates every few hours.
Platform-by-platform reliability
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Step-by-step setup guides
Idiot-proof walkthroughs for every method.
How to run State of Decay 2 on Mac with Parallels
Estimate· CompatibilityUsing Parallels to play State of Decay 2 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 State of Decay 2.
- 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 State of Decay 2 on Mac with Boosteroid
Estimate· StreamingStreaming State of Decay 2 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 State of Decay 2 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.
How to run State of Decay 2 on Mac with Xbox Cloud Gaming
Estimate· StreamingStreaming State of Decay 2 through Xbox Cloud Gaming 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
- Get Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
- Open xbox.com/play in Safari, Chrome, or Edge.
- Search State of Decay 2 and click Play — no install required.
Video proof
Open Xbox Cloud Gaming ↗Affiliate link — supports the site at no extra cost.
Our recommendation
For most Mac players we recommend Parallels as the fastest, smoothest way to play State of Decay 2. Full Windows 11 ARM inside macOS.
| Method | Quality | Difficulty | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| ParallelsPick | Good | Medium | $99/year + Windows licence |
| Boosteroid | Estimate | Easy | $9.95 / month |
| Xbox Cloud Gaming | Estimate | Easy | Game Pass Ultimate subscription |
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