Release notes
What has changed in Pixel Port, newest first. Updates land automatically in the app; this is the running history.
Download the latestPixel Port 0.3.4
LatestReliability + backend foundations. - Fixes play-success detection so the app correctly records when a game runs (powers the live compatibility map) - Cleans up leftover background processes after you quit or a launch fails - Backend now the source of truth for game recipes + compatibility tiers (activates server-side) - 10 new/curated game recipes
Download v0.3.4 →Pixel Port 0.3.3 — launch fix
Fixes a crash on launch affecting 0.3.2. If you're on 0.3.2 and the app won't open, download and reinstall this build. (Same features as 0.3.2: new brand identity + icon, game shortcuts, backend-served cover art.)
Download v0.3.3 →Pixel Port 0.3.2 — new look
A fresh brand identity, plus quality-of-life features. New look - Brand-new app icon and visual identity (Deep Amethyst palette, pixel-ring hero, branded artwork placeholders, animated boot splash + sounds) Features - Create desktop/dock shortcuts that launch a game directly (right from a game's ⋯ menu) - Cover art now served from our own backend with Steam as fallback — fewer gaps, faster, more reliable Polish - Cleaner signed-out account row
Download v0.3.2 →Pixel Port 0.3.1 — faster & smoother
Performance + bug-fix release. Performance - Much lighter animated background; library/install scans moved off the main thread (no more browse hitches) - Library saves debounced to a single write; search & Home rails rebuilt to run once per change instead of per-render/keystroke - Snappier tab switching Fixes & polish - Cover art can no longer overflow or overlap cards (any aspect ratio) - Meccha Chameleon cover corrected - New account menu + two-pane Settings; Steam moved under Connectors - Sidebar counts aligned; stray game-detail divider removed - Account sign-in shown as "Coming soon" while we finish the flow (browse/install/play are unaffected)
Download v0.3.1 →Pixel Port 0.3.0 — Smarter compatibility & the auto-fix foundation
More games just work on the first try Pixel Port now inspects each game's actual files when you install it and automatically picks the right graphics path and dependencies — so DirectX 9 titles, Unity/Unreal games, and more get the correct setup without guesswork. Groundwork for automatic fixes When a game has trouble, Pixel Port can now (with your opt-in) send an anonymous, privacy-scrubbed diagnostic. That lets us ship a targeted fix that reaches everyone who hits the same issue — often without you needing to update the app at all. More reliable & secure - Hardened how Steam credentials are handled. - Fixed a library-detection edge case that could mis-lock installed games. - Corrected several games' compatibility ratings (incl. flagging a couple as unsupported on kernel anti-cheat). _A foundation release: the automatic-fix delivery pipeline is now in place and will light up as we publish fixes._
Download v0.3.0 →Pixel Port 0.2.11 — Steam conflict fixes
What's new - Native-Steam conflict guard. If the regular Steam app is open on your Mac, it signs into your account and silently disconnects Pixel Port's in-app Steam — downloads then fail with "no connection." Pixel Port now detects this and offers a one-tap Quit Steam & Try Again. - Reconnect Steam button. If the in-app Steam loses its session, a one-shot Reconnect brings it back without restarting anything by hand. - Runtime panel cleanup in Settings (clearer copy, no truncation). Auto-updates via Sparkle. Requires Apple Silicon, macOS 14+.
Download v0.2.11 →Pixel Port 0.2.10 — Steam install that just works
What's new - Install via Steam now works on a fresh Mac. Pixel Port provisions the in-prefix Steam client for you on first use — previously "Install via Steam" silently did nothing unless you'd manually run the setup script. (Thanks to beta tester Vitaliy for the fix.) - No more silent failures — if Steam setup can't finish, you get a clear message + Try Again instead of a vanishing spinner. - Faster launch — the catalogue now loads off the main thread, so the brief startup freeze is gone. - Real cover art across Home/Library/detail, and a more legible compatibility map. - Copy/brand polish; internal engineering notes no longer leak onto game pages. Auto-updates via Sparkle. Requires Apple Silicon, macOS 14+.
Download v0.2.10 →Pixel Port 0.2.9 — install crash & setup fixes
What's fixed - Install crash fixed — installing a game (especially switching one between Steam and Depot installs) could segfault the app. Fixed. - "Installing required components" now works on Apple Silicon — winetricks/steamcmd are located across both Homebrew prefixes, so M-series Macs no longer fail this step or need a manual winetricks install + symlink. - Steam sign-in row — the "account name + password" section opens when you tap anywhere on the row, not only the chevron. - Depot install flagged experimental — Steam is the recommended, proven install path; Depot is now clearly labelled "(beta)". Auto-updates via Sparkle. Requires Apple Silicon, macOS 14+.
Download v0.2.9 →Pixel Port 0.2.8 — Steam play fixed
Fixes Steam game launching, which had regressed: Steam titles (Megabonk, Pool Blitz, and others) now start reliably. Also clearer feedback while a game is still downloading or when a free game needs adding to your Steam library first, plus home banner, compatibility map, and "try again" nudge fixes. Notarized build. Drag Pixel Port to Applications. Existing installs auto-update via Sparkle.
Download v0.2.8 →Pixel Port 0.2.7 — fixes a launch crash on fresh installs
Critical fix - Fixes an immediate crash on launch that affected fresh installs (the app couldn't find its bundled game catalogue). If 0.2.6 crashed the moment you opened it, this resolves it. Auto-updates via Sparkle — but if the app won't open, download this DMG directly and replace the app in /Applications.
Download v0.2.7 →Pixel Port 0.2.6 — play tracking that actually works + Steam install preview
Fixes & improvements - Plays now count properly. Previously a game you played successfully could still show 0% success on the reliability board — the success signal wasn't being recorded for installed games. Fixed: launching and playing now registers correctly (including play time). - Steam installs show a preview of what's about to happen before opening Steam — no more opaque hand-off. - Steam is now the default install method for Steam games (it handles cloud saves + the licence checks some games like Age of Empires II need to launch), with Depot as the alternative and an ⓘ explaining the difference. - Cleaned up the game detail view (removed the internal install-path line). Auto-updates via Sparkle — if you're on 0.2.x you'll be offered this automatically.
Download v0.2.6 →Pixel Port 0.2.5 — install crash fix + smooth download bar
Fixes - Fixed a crash that could happen on the install screen while a game was downloading. - Download progress bar no longer bounces — it now climbs smoothly instead of jumping 50→100→50 as files download. - Compatibility map no longer gets stuck blank — it loads or shows a clear message within a few seconds. - Clearer wording on the install info card. Auto-updates via Sparkle — if you're on 0.2.x you'll be offered this automatically.
Download v0.2.5 →Pixel Port 0.2.4 — much smaller download + working analytics & feedback
What's new ~5× smaller download. The app is now ~7 MB (was ~42 MB). The big Steam downloader tool is no longer bundled — it's fetched automatically the first time it's actually needed. Play tracking actually works now. A bug was silently dropping every play/outcome before it reached us, so reliability and play-time stats never registered. Fixed — your plays now count. Failed installs explain themselves. If an install fails, you'll now see *why*, with buttons to Try Again, Report it (which attaches the logs), or Remove — no more silent dead ends. Reports include logs. "Report a problem" now attaches the install/diagnostic logs, so issues are actually fixable. Auto-updates via Sparkle — if you're on 0.2.x you'll be offered this automatically.
Download v0.2.4 →Pixel Port 0.2.3 — launch splash + fixes
Animated launch splash, consistent library count, and play-analytics (every play now registers). Free Prism runtime, CrossOver-free, notarized. macOS 14+, Apple Silicon.
Download v0.2.3 →Pixel Port 0.2.2 — plays telemetry + copy
Records plays to the fleet dashboard; updated beta banner. Free Prism runtime, CrossOver-free, notarized. macOS 14+, Apple Silicon.
Download v0.2.2 →Pixel Port 0.2.1 — launch fix
Fixes a Gatekeeper launch failure ('Pixel Port cannot be opened') on downloaded builds. Free Prism runtime (Wine 10 + DXMT v0.80), CrossOver-free, notarized. macOS 14+, Apple Silicon (Rosetta auto-installs).
Download v0.2.1 →Pixel Port 0.1.0 — Open Beta
Open Beta — free while we're testing. Built by one dev who wanted to play games on his Mac. Featured: MECCHA CHAMELEON, verified end-to-end on Apple Silicon. The beta opens with a hand-picked set of games verified on our runtime; everything else in the catalogue is browsable, and you can Request any game right in the app — we roll out new games as requests come in. Install: open the DMG and drag Pixel Port to Applications. > ⚠️ Early-tester note: this first build is signed with a Developer ID, but Apple's notarization is still completing on their side (a known first-time-account delay — not a problem with the app). On first launch macOS may say it can't verify the developer. Just right-click the app → Open, or run: > `xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine "/Applications/Pixel Port.app"` > > A fully notarized build will replace this download shortly; updates are automatic via Sparkle. Requires Apple Silicon (M1 or later) and macOS 14+.
Download v0.1.0 →Prism Runtime 0.5.0 (Sikarugir Wine 10 + DXMT v0.80)
Notarized free Prism runtime: x86_64 Wine 10 + DXMT v0.80, self-contained (freetype/gnutls bundled), 32+64-bit DXMT. Downloaded by Pixel Port on first run. SHA256 9e299be3f3934d8154c2b19047e9bf8b3ad909f098beaf2d27dac2f69d42c464