Answers to dumb questions

There are no dumb questions. There are questions we’ve heard a hundred times. Here they are.

General

What is Deadware?

A project that takes old games and turns them into regular Mac apps. One Ukrainian and a few AI agents who can’t say “no”.

How much does it cost?

Zero. You buy the game; the rest is our gift to a humanity that doesn’t deserve it.

Can I donate to you?

No. As soon as money shows up, obligations show up, and we’re here for the fun of it.

Can I request a game?

No. We’re not a restaurant: we only take games we love ourselves, because a port without love is junk. If your game shows up here one day — we have similar taste, congrats.

Why is everything in Ukrainian?

Because for twenty years we were offered games in the language of a neighbour who now shells our power plants. Enough.

My Mac

Will my Mac work?

If it has an Apple chip and runs macOS 26 or newer — yes. Check: the apple in the top left → “About This Mac”. The “Chip” line should say Apple, the “macOS” line 26 or higher. Update an older system in System Settings.

And if it says Intel?

Then no: our versions are made only for Apple chips, they simply won’t launch on Intel. We’re sorry. A little.

How long will it last without power?

Honestly: we haven’t measured the battery. It’ll last a session longer than an average kitchen-table argument about politics.

Can I use a gamepad?

Yes, any popular one: Xbox, PlayStation, Switch. Console games are gamepad only: they were made for sticks, and we didn’t rebuild the controls for a keyboard. “Heroes” is mouse only, as the ancestors intended.

How much space do I need?

For “Heroes” — about 5 GB. Roughly one season of that show you never finished.

Installing

How do I install it?

Go to the game’s page, press “Download the installer”, then it’s all step by step with pictures — even a cat could figure it out.

The Mac says the app can’t be opened. Are you a virus?

No, we’re poor. We don’t pay Apple for a signature, so the Mac doesn’t know us. Right-click the app → “Open” → “Open”. Once, and you’re friends.

A window popped up about some “developer tools”.

Download them. It’s a free program from Apple; the game gets built on it at your place.

How is the installer different from GitHub?

The installer does everything itself. GitHub is for people who like to watch how the sausage gets made.

How long do I wait?

“Heroes” installs in about forty minutes, and you don’t need to sit next to it. Enough time to read one of our stories and start doubting yourself.

Games

Which games are out?

Heroes of Might and Magic IV, plus two from the Xbox: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. All three are on the All games page.

Will there be Ukrainian voice-over?

No new one: we tried, it came out worse than the original, and bad voice acting is worse than a foreign language. “Heroes IV” already has Ukrainian voices in the campaigns; “Harry Potter” has Ukrainian text and the original voices.

Will my old saves work?

No: this is a new version of the game, it doesn’t understand the old files. You’ll start over — and this time you’ll play it properly.

If something broke

Found a bug. What do I do?

Write on the game’s GitHub what happened and what you pressed. AI agents will look into it — in order of queue and mood.

Why do you take so long to answer?

Because the project is done for fun. Our fun, sadly, doesn’t always line up with your deadline.