However, Reddit’s u/AsahiLinux developers have noted that the game runs beautifully under Asahi Linux (native ARM) on M1 Macs via Proton. That’s a deep rabbit hole for advanced users only.

Playing Cities: Skylines on a Mac with the M1 chip has been a major topic of discussion across Reddit communities like r/CitiesSkylines and r/MacGaming. While the game was originally designed for Intel-based systems, the transition to Apple Silicon has brought a mix of impressive performance gains and unique technical hurdles. This guide synthesizes the collective wisdom of the Reddit community to help you get your metropolis running smoothly.

Modding is a cornerstone of the Cities: Skylines experience, and fortunately, most Steam Workshop mods work perfectly on M1 Macs. However, Reddit users caution that mods increase the load on both the CPU and RAM. Essential performance mods like Loading Screen Mod are highly recommended to help manage memory usage and speed up the initial start time. Be aware that some older, unoptimized mods may cause the game to crash under Rosetta 2, so it is best to add them one by one.

I’d rather play locally if possible.

For years, playing Cities: Skylines on a Mac meant listening to a jet engine (Intel fans) and praying your city of 50,000 didn’t melt your logic board. Then Apple Silicon arrived. Suddenly, a $999 MacBook Air with no fans was supposed to run a simulation-heavy city builder. Reddit threads are filled with praise, panic, and practical workarounds. Here is everything the subreddits won’t tell you in a single post.