HALF-LIFE: ALYX ON MAC
Half-Life: Alyx, in VR, on your Mac.
Valve's flagship VR game never came to macOS, and SteamVR left the Mac in 2020. MoltenVR runs Half-Life: Alyx on Apple Silicon and streams it to your Quest or PICO. Fair warning up front: it is a heavy game, and it wants a strong Mac.
Two ways to run it
The Linux build, through Inversa
Half-Life: Alyx's Linux ARM64 build runs in VR through Inversa, an open-source (GPL-3.0) Linux runtime for macOS. ARM64 Linux programs run natively on Apple Silicon; x86-64 ones go through FEX. Inversa ships with MoltenVR, or downloads the first time a game needs it.
The Windows version, through Wine
MoltenVR can also run the Windows version through its managed Wine, with DirectX translated to Metal by DXMT or Apple's D3DMetal. You choose the graphics engine per game. More in Wine and graphics engines.
Either way, Steam for Mac must be running while you play.
Be honest with your Mac
Alyx is demanding on any machine. MoltenVR runs on every Apple Silicon Mac from an M1 with 8 GB, but for this game a Pro, Max or Ultra chip is the recommendation. Press Find best settingsin MoltenVR before you play: it tests your Mac and connection and picks resolution, refresh rate and codec for you. If the game can't hold the frame rate, Steady frame rate locks to half the refresh rate so motion stays even. Check the requirements for the full specs.
Your headset
Play on Meta Quest 2, 3, 3S or Pro, or PICO 4 and 4 Ultra (experimental), through the MoltenVR headset app over a USB-C cable or Wi-Fi. See Meta Quest on Mac for setup.
See what others are getting
Players share their working settings for each game, ranked by how closely their Mac matches yours. Browse reports on the game compatibility page, or read VR on Mac for how it all fits together.
Frequently asked questions
Can you play Half-Life: Alyx on a Mac?
Yes. MoltenVR runs Half-Life: Alyx on Apple Silicon Macs and streams it to a Meta Quest or PICO headset. The game's Linux ARM64 build runs in VR through Inversa, and the Windows version can run through Wine.
What is Inversa?
Inversa is an open-source (GPL-3.0) runtime that runs Linux programs on macOS. ARM64 Linux programs run natively and x86-64 ones run through FEX. It ships with MoltenVR or downloads the first time a game needs it.
Does Steam need to be running?
Yes. Keep Steam for Mac running while you play Half-Life: Alyx through MoltenVR.
What Mac do I need for Half-Life: Alyx?
Half-Life: Alyx is a demanding game. MoltenVR's minimum is an M1 with 8 GB, but for Alyx a Pro, Max or Ultra chip is recommended.
Which headsets can I play it on?
Meta Quest 2, Quest 3, Quest 3S and Quest Pro, plus PICO 4 and PICO 4 Ultra (experimental), through the MoltenVR headset app over a USB-C cable or Wi-Fi. Apple Vision Pro works over Wi-Fi through ALVR mode (MoltenVR Pro) with ALVR's visionOS app.
Do I need SteamVR?
No. SteamVR left macOS in 2020. MoltenVR provides the VR runtime and the streaming to your headset itself.
Free to download with a 7-day Pro trial. See Free and Pro.