Frostpunk 1927 (macOS)

Frostpunk is a city survival game set in a frozen world where the last city on Earth must manage its population’s survival against the cold. Every decision — from harsh rule to compassion or faith — carries a cost.

Requires macOS 10.15 and a discrete GPU

The Mac version needs macOS 10.15, a 64-bit Intel x86 processor, 16 GB RAM, and a discrete AMD Radeon Pro 5300M or better. It runs on Apple silicon machines through Rosetta 2. Controls are keyboard and mouse – no native controller support on Mac.

Endless mode with eight maps and steam automatons

Besides the story campaign, endless mode offers eight maps with varied landscapes, weather, and challenges. Tech development unlocks steam automatons and airships. Interface languages include English, Russian, German, French, and eight more. Expect about 10 GB of disk space for the full install.

If you are downloading a torrent of Frostpunk, the files are labelled clearly and the package is DRM-free — no extra launcher or online check. The installer places the game in the folder you choose; Applications is the recommended spot on Mac.

Runs on M1 Macs through Rosetta 2

Does it work on an M1 Mac? Yes — the game is x86 Intel, but Rosetta 2 handles it. A 2020 MacBook Air with M1 runs the story campaign without fuss. You do not need Windows or a virtual machine.

Will I lose saves if I reinstall? Saves live inside the game folder, not in ~/Library. Copy the Saves folder out before you remove anything, and put it back after a fresh install.

Can I use a controller? No. The Mac version expects keyboard and mouse. Rebinding keys is limited; the preset layout works well enough for city management and expedition control.

Start with story campaign on normal difficulty

• Start the story campaign on normal difficulty first. The endless mode assumes you know the tech tree and law system already.
• Pause the game often early on — it runs in real time, and one bad law or missed coal mine can snowball into a disaster.
• Send an expedition team out as soon as you can spare the scouts. The resources and people they bring back buy you time.
• Save manually before signing a law or choosing a promise. The game does not autosave before every event.

Scenario from a school IT technician

I set up Frostpunk on the Mac mini in the staff room. A colleague wanted something quiet to play during lunch breaks. After the standard install — drag the folder, run the executable — the game launched at 1920x1080 on the Dell display plugged into the mini. She played through the first chapter across three days. The only ask was turning down the graphics preset from Ultra to High, because the fan noise bothered her. The game did not complain. She has since downloaded the endless mode maps and tries a different law path each time.

• macOS 10.15 or later
• 64-bit Intel x86 processor (Apple Silicon runs via Rosetta 2)
• 16 GB RAM
• 10 GB available storage
• 2.6 GHz Intel Core i7
• AMD Radeon Pro 5300M, Radeon Pro 560X or better