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x86 gaming and running x86 Linux software are the exceptions. > Starting with macOS 28, Rosetta 2 will be largely discontinued. Apple says that after that poin

x86 gaming and running x86 Linux software are the exceptions. > Starting with macOS 28, Rosetta 2 will be largely discontinued. Apple says that after that point, it “will keep a subset of Rosetta functionality aimed at supporting older unmaintained gaming titles, that rely on Intel-based frameworks.” https://9to5mac.com/2026/02/16/macos-26-4-will-notify-users-of-rosetta-2-discontinuation/ https://9to5mac.com/2026/02/16/macos-26-4-will-notify-users-... It's the Mac native x86 software that hasn't been updated in most of a decade that would be affected.

nottorp 4mo ago
That's an "I'll believe it when I see it working on my machine" matter. As my sibling post says, it's more likely to work only for some older mac os native games.
- cosmic_cheese 4mo ago
  I'd expect the exact opposite. If I'm not mistaken, to keep native titles running, they need to continue to haul around x86 versions of the majority of the system's libraries and frameworks, in which case there's little reason to not continue supporting Rosetta 2 as a whole since the delta between the two library/framework sets is minimal. To keep games in WINE/CrossOver/etc working all they need to keep around is the x86 translation layer and maybe the x86 slice of OpenGL. Everything else x86 related can be deleted.
benoau 4mo ago
> Retro gaming What they say is "we will keep a subset of Rosetta functionality aimed at supporting older unmaintained gaming titles, that rely on Intel-based frameworks" which sounds like OS X games. But even if it is all-inclusive "retro" games, that means the 1,000s of contemporary games runnable via Crossover through Steam for Windows are being shut out. They relented under pressure to continue allowing Linux virtual machines, so hopefully they continue to revisit this decision. https://developer.apple.com/documentation/apple-silicon/about-the-rosetta-translation-environment/ https://developer.apple.com/documentation/apple-silicon/abou...
- exitb 4mo ago
  Given that they could have easily get Steam Deck levels of compatibility with Windows games, but didn’t, I think they’re mainly after the App Store margins for ported games. Having an independent marketplace with tons of Mac-compatible games is a nightmare for them.
  - numpad0 4mo ago
    Apple is dogmatically anti games, they only spare bare minimum of effort to support videogames as an necessary evil. It's some Jobs' teaching thing.
    - iknowstuff 4mo ago
      gaming apps account for approximately 70% of all App Store revenue.
      - benoau 4mo ago
        On the iPhone, where they go out of their way to prevent Steam or anyone else eating into that market. On Mac it's probably closer to 0% of all revenue, and they seem incapable of competing for it.
        iknowstuff 4mo ago
        Of course, I agree. Just saying I think they probably do have to care about the gaming market a whole lot, whether Jobs liked it or not
      - numpad0 4mo ago
        Gambling apps. Extremely few of the "games" on App Store are traditional games. Most of them are lootbox puzzle slop because that's what Apple tolerates && most lucrative.
  - cyberax 4mo ago
    They tried, but didn't follow through. macOS is corporate abandonware and they don't want to undermine their iOS market with real emulators.

nottorp 4mo ago

That's an "I'll believe it when I see it working on my machine" matter. As my sibling post says, it's more likely to work only for some older mac os native games.

cosmic_cheese 4mo ago
I'd expect the exact opposite. If I'm not mistaken, to keep native titles running, they need to continue to haul around x86 versions of the majority of the system's libraries and frameworks, in which case there's little reason to not continue supporting Rosetta 2 as a whole since the delta between the two library/framework sets is minimal. To keep games in WINE/CrossOver/etc working all they need to keep around is the x86 translation layer and maybe the x86 slice of OpenGL. Everything else x86 related can be deleted.

benoau 4mo ago

> Retro gaming What they say is "we will keep a subset of Rosetta functionality aimed at supporting older unmaintained gaming titles, that rely on Intel-based frameworks" which sounds like OS X games. But even if it is all-inclusive "retro" games, that means the 1,000s of contemporary games runnable via Crossover through Steam for Windows are being shut out. They relented under pressure to continue allowing Linux virtual machines, so hopefully they continue to revisit this decision. https://developer.apple.com/documentation/apple-silicon/about-the-rosetta-translation-environment/ https://developer.apple.com/documentation/apple-silicon/abou...

exitb 4mo ago
Given that they could have easily get Steam Deck levels of compatibility with Windows games, but didn’t, I think they’re mainly after the App Store margins for ported games. Having an independent marketplace with tons of Mac-compatible games is a nightmare for them.
- numpad0 4mo ago
  Apple is dogmatically anti games, they only spare bare minimum of effort to support videogames as an necessary evil. It's some Jobs' teaching thing.
  - iknowstuff 4mo ago
    gaming apps account for approximately 70% of all App Store revenue.
    - benoau 4mo ago
      On the iPhone, where they go out of their way to prevent Steam or anyone else eating into that market. On Mac it's probably closer to 0% of all revenue, and they seem incapable of competing for it.
      - iknowstuff 4mo ago
        Of course, I agree. Just saying I think they probably do have to care about the gaming market a whole lot, whether Jobs liked it or not
    - numpad0 4mo ago
      Gambling apps. Extremely few of the "games" on App Store are traditional games. Most of them are lootbox puzzle slop because that's what Apple tolerates && most lucrative.
- cyberax 4mo ago
  They tried, but didn't follow through. macOS is corporate abandonware and they don't want to undermine their iOS market with real emulators.