The new Mac games of 2019

I think you’ll agree 2019 is shaping up to be a great year for Mac gaming.

Sure, there’s the sheer quantity of new games released (did you know there are over 8,700 Mac games on Steam?) but what really has us excited is the high quality of the best Mac games of 2019 so far.

And you know what? The games planned for the remainder of the year are just as exciting.

PS: If you want even more top-notch games for your Mac, check out the 100 Best Mac games you can play today.

And as most “2019” guides cover older games too, we made sure this list is limited to games released in 2019 (with the exception of Leif Johnson’s excellent Mac games you need to play sreies). Enjoy!

The Rest of the Best:

Subnautica: Below Zero | Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 | Dawn of Man | Tannenberg | DUSK | DiRT 4 | Imperator: Rome | Rise of Industry 

Our favorite 2019 Mac games

Divinity: Original Sin became an instant classic when it was released in 2015, and now Mac gamers can once again journey to Rivellon. Divinity: Original Sin 2 brings back the deep turn-based combat, multiplayer campaigns, and complex story, and adds some exciting new features.

Up to four players can adventure together online or locally via split-screen, the AI has been updated to be even more devious, and exploration has been opened up to provide countless ways to interact with characters, animals and the environment.

One more thing… Featuring Touch Bar and iCloud support, this is the most advanced Mac port to date. Having the direct support from Apple’s own Metal team definitely paid off!

Mac Release date: January 31, 2019.

What happens when you fuse a collectible cards game with a roguelike? You get Slay the Spire, a single player deckbuilder from Mega Crit Games. Build your deck and use your cards wisely as you battle your way to the top of a spire that changes each time you play.

Slay the Spire contains over 250 cards, over 150 unique items to find and use in your quests, and an impressive host of unique encounters, boss battles, and events along the way. And if that’s not enough, the game’s custom mode allows hardcore players to mix and match various crazy-run modifiers.

Mac Release date: January 23, 2019.

Katana ZERO is a brutal and fast-paced action platformer from developer Askiisoft and features stylish pixel art and instant death combat. While it does tell a satisfying story, Katana ZERO shines because of its intense combat. Prepare to slash, dash, dodge and even manipulate time to destroy your enemies.

While clearly inspired by indies such as Hotline Miami or Monaco, Katana ZERO uses that same tried and true formula to deliver a gaming experience that is at a whole new level. With thoughtfully-designed levels and flexible combat abilities , this is a game you will probably finish more than once.

Mac Release date: April 18, 2019.

The Total War franchise continues its quest across time and the globe, this time stopping in ancient China. Fans can expect the same tried-and-true mixture of turn-based strategy and real-time battles as they set out to become emperor. 

Become one of 12 legendary warlords and build up your armies, technology, and economy through research, politics, and conquest. Do you have what it takes to create the next dynasty? If not, at least you’ll get to experience the best visuals and gameplay the series has seen yet.

Mac Release date: May 23, 2019.

For the first time in the Tropico series, you’ll be in full charge of multiple islands, offering all new challenges as you attempt to lead a life of luxury while keeping your citizens happy with…less.

Tropico 6 keeps the series fresh by adding completely new infrastructure and transportation options, a revised research system that focuses on politics (steal what you can’t create), and the timely return of election speeches. “Address the people and make promises that you can’t possibly keep.” It’s pretty easy to get away with it, we’ve learned.

Mac Release date: June 28, 2019.

Currently available through Steam Early Access, Below Zero takes the undersea exploration of Subnautica and moves it to the Arctic region of planet 4546B. Your job is to study alien artifacts, but when disaster strikes and you’re cut off from your supply ship it’s up to you to craft equipment, scavenge for food and resources, and construct the shelters needed to survive.

Of course, the fun is in the exploration, as Subnautica: Below Zero recreates a beautiful and massive undersea world for you to discover. Just remember, plenty of danger lurks in the beauteous depths.

Mac Release date: January 30, 2019 (in Early Access).

Black Ops 3 takes us 40 years further into the future to a world ravaged by climate change and unchecked technologies. The games features a four-player campaign mode with features such as cybernetic enhancements, a one-shot-kill “realistic” difficulty mode, and an unlockable “nightmare” mode featuring a new narrative and plenty of zombies.

If you’re more into multiplayer, there are plenty of enhancements and new features on that side, as well. And even better, you can purchase the Multiplayer Starter Pack if that’s all you’re interested in.

One more thing… This confirms Aspyr‘s relationship with Activition is still alive and well (and hopefully will result in newer Call of Duty games on Mac!).

Mac Release date: April 4, 2019.

If your complaint about sims/city builders is that they don’t start quite early enough, you’ll want to check out Dawn of Man. You’ll start with a settlement of ancient humans in the stone age and fight for survival by learning to hunt, farm, craft weapons/tools, stand up to the environment, and evolve to make it into the iron age.

That covers around 10,000 years of prehistory, but the needs will be familiar to sim fans: keep your people fed, sheltered, and safe from the elements and attacks while leading them towards the future.

Mac Release date: March 1, 2019.

The battles on the eastern front of WWI are regarded as some of the most brutal in history, so prepare for some intense batlles in this multiplayer shooter from the developers of Verdun. Up to 64 players can engage via four-man squads on six massive maps that provide an impressive amount of tactical freedom.

Over 50 historically accurate weapons are available to the game’s Russian, Roumanian, Austro-Hungarian, German and Bulgarian troops, including the horrors of gas warfare. Tannenberg is definitely not for those who prefer dance moves and llamas in their multiplayer games.

Mac Release date: February 13, 2019.

Do you miss games like the original Doom, Quake, and even Redneck Rampage? New Blood Interactive did, too, and that’s why they’ve given us DUSK, a retro first-person shooter that features shooting and bleeding in ways we haven’t since the 1990s.

DUSK gives you three distinctive campaign modes in which you’ll fight mystical backwater cultists, possessed militants and more, and plenty of ways to fight them, too: “…sickles, swords, crossbows, rifles, dual-wielded and double-barreled shotguns and incredibly necessary grenade and rocket launchers.” Of course, there’s arena multiplayer, too. It’s the ‘90s you remember.

Mac Release date: February 7, 2019.

Pavement? Pavement is for grandmas and bus drivers. If you really want to experience the thrill of racing you need DiRT 4. This latest entry in the rally racing series provides over 50 cars to drive as you tear across thrilling tracks in Australia, Spain, Wales, and more. Each and every one of them looking and running great thanks to Feral Interactive‘s top-notch Mac port.

And with the new system called Your Stage, players can generate a countless number of unique stages with the press of a button. It’s even smart enough to generate routes based on your skill level. Career mode and daily, weekly, and month-long challenges will keep you racing for quite some time.

Mac Release date: March 28, 2019.

Mac gamers have access to a new form of empire building now that Paradox Interactive has released Imperator Rome. This grand strategy title stretches across the ancient Mediterranean to provide players the chance to shape Western Civilization as they see fit.

Manage diverse populations, build up your military, choose your type of government, and invest in technologies that will help find your place amongst Alexander, Hannibal, Caesar, and other great rulers from the classical era. The deluxe edition includes additional army and ship models, on-map monuments, game events, and more.

Mac Release date: April 25, 2019.

Rise of Industry is a complex strategic tycoon game that puts you in the shoes of an early 20th-century industrialist. It’s up to you, then, to supply goods and services to your towns and villages in an effort to help your chosen industry rise.

Heavily inspired by classics such as Transport Tycoon, Anno, and Factorio, Rise of Industry will let you build and manage an empire in a procedurally generated world. Gameplay is broken into two modes: career and sandbox. In either mode, you’ll have to deal with things like permits, supply and demand, trade, and the very worst aspect of running a business: customers.

Mac Release date: May 2, 2019.

2019 Mac games coming soon

Our Criteria

A lot of MacOS games are coming out in 2019. A whole lot. Thus, we have to be very selective in choosing which games make this list. So, how did we pull these particular games to the top? By focusing on these criteria:

Native MacOS support

Obviously, the game has to run natively on macOS; no Wine, Parallels or Bootcamp needed.

Hype level

Here’s where we get more subjective, but rest assured each of these games has something very important going for it. It could be a much-anticipated sequel to a popular Mac game, it could be the developer’s name/pedigree, or it could be that we just really like the concept.

Regardless of the reason, we’re buying into the hype for each of these titles and agree they should be on your radar.

 Confirmed Mac version

It’s always tempting to hype games that could, mayble, make it to MacOS. If a developer has always supported MacOS for all of its previous games, it should support MacOS for its latest game too, right? Not always. 

For that reason, we prefer not to get your hopes up and only cover games that have been officially announced for Mac or directly confirmed to Mac Gamer HQ via email.

Wrapping Up

There’s an awful lot to consider here, we know, but that’s a good thing. Whether you were waiting for a new entry in your favorite genre or looking to branch out into something different, the new Mac games of 2019 will give you plenty of options. Go ahead and get hyped for a few long-awaited sequels, get ready to dig into a few games that your Windows-using friends are already playing, or get something completely new when it becomes available.

If you are enjoying (or waiting for) a new game that we didn’t cover here, be sure to let us know. We’re always on the lookout for the next big game!

Disclaimer: Some of the links above are affiliate links, which means that if you choose to make a purchase, I will earn a commission (this is how we pay the bills). This commission comes at no additional cost to you.