The Game Porting Toolkit has just received its first update, and the results are surprising. Not only do we see significant improvements in specific Apple silicon chips, but game compatibility has also expanded tremendously.
The Game Porting Toolkit is a new method of running Windows DirectX 11 and 12 games on Apple silicon hardware. While primarily designed for developers to evaluate the work required to port their games to Mac, Mac Gamers have been using it to play advanced DirectX 12 games recently.
The latest update of Game Porting Toolkit brings performance improvements and stability to Mac Gamers
The first release of the tool felt thrown together, lacking the polish we expect from Apple. However, the latest update brings graphical performance and stability improvements, as well as the reintroduction of features that were previously removed.
One of the standout improvements is the performance boost. Testing Elder Ring on the M1 Max chip at 1080p on low settings, we saw an average increase of 4-5 FPS with the Game Porting Toolkit 1.02. While not groundbreaking, it's a welcome improvement considering the multiple translation layers the game goes through.
Not all games see performance improvements, but some, like Cyberpunk 2077, show significant gains. Running on the M2 Ultra chip, we observed at least a doubling of the frame rate compared to the original Game Porting Toolkit 1.00.
The update also addresses issues with specific games. For example, Horizon Zero Dawn had graphical color artifacts and a slo-mo effect on the previous version, but these issues have been fixed in Game Porting Toolkit 1.02.
Another notable fix is for Media Foundation, which caused crashes when playing in-game cinematics or videos. With the update, games like Resident Evil 2 and Devil May Cry 5 now work on Apple silicon hardware through the Game Porting Toolkit.
Lastly, the update brings back 32-bit support, which was inexplicably removed in the previous version. While running 32-bit games still has some performance overheads, it's a welcome addition for Mac Gamers.
Overall, the Game Porting Toolkit 1.02 update brings unexpected improvements and expanded compatibility for Mac Gamers. While it may have been primarily designed for developers, it's clear that Apple's accidental byproduct is benefiting the gaming community as well. We can't wait to see what future updates bring to the table.