highball

<p align="center"><img src=".github/assets/logo.png" width="140" alt="Highball — a highball glass with ice"></p>
<h1 align="center">Highball</h1>
<p align="center"><b>Run Windows games on Apple Silicon. Free, open, and never locked to one Wine build.</b></p>

<p align="center">English · <a href="README.zh-CN.md">简体中文</a></p>

<p align="center">
  <a href="LICENSE"><img src="https://img.shields.io/badge/license-GPL--3.0-blue" alt="License: GPL-3.0"></a>
  <a href="https://github.com/gauthierpiarrette/highball/releases/latest"><img src="https://img.shields.io/github/v/release/gauthierpiarrette/highball" alt="Latest release"></a>
  <a href="https://github.com/gauthierpiarrette/highball/actions/workflows/ci.yml"><img src="https://github.com/gauthierpiarrette/highball/actions/workflows/ci.yml/badge.svg" alt="CI"></a>
  <a href="https://github.com/gauthierpiarrette/highball/stargazers"><img src="https://img.shields.io/github/stars/gauthierpiarrette/highball?logo=github&label=stars" alt="GitHub stars"></a>
  <img src="https://img.shields.io/badge/Apple%20Silicon-macOS%2014%2B-lightgrey" alt="Apple Silicon, macOS 14+">
  <a href="https://discord.gg/WnyYpXuf67"><img src="https://img.shields.io/badge/Discord-join-5865F2?logo=discord&logoColor=white" alt="Discord: join the Highball server"></a>
</p>

<p align="center"><img src=".github/assets/app.png" width="760" alt="Highball’s Library under the Steam filter: twelve games in one cover grid, each with its source badge and the open database’s verdict, all Verified"></p>

Highball is a native macOS app (and CLI) that sets up Wine, DXMT, D3DMetal and DXVK for
you, installs Steam or connects your Epic library, and tells you honestly what runs, what
doesn't, and which renderer to use.

The difference is the data. Every verdict comes from an open, CC0 compatibility database:
verified runs, per-game renderer verdicts, and the kernel-anti-cheat blocklist, with
provenance on every claim. It's a standalone dataset any tool can build on
([highball-db](https://github.com/gauthierpiarrette/highball-db), browsable at
[gethighball.com/database](https://gethighball.com/database/)),
so you can check whether your game runs before downloading a byte.

## Download

### [Download Highball for Apple Silicon (.dmg)](https://github.com/gauthierpiarrette/highball/releases/latest/download/Highball.dmg)

macOS 14+, notarized. Drag it to Applications, open it and press Get started: Highball
installs Rosetta if needed, downloads the engine and prepares a Windows environment, then asks
where your games are (Steam, Epic, or a Windows program you have).

Or with Homebrew:

```sh
brew install --cask highball
```

Not sure it'll run your game? **[Check the compatibility database →](https://gethighball.com/database/)**

> **Beta, working end to end:** one-button setup → Steam login → game, with the graphics
> mode picked per game from the database and msync-accelerated launches. Auto-updating. Not a paid
> tool and not a thin wrapper: engine