XMage server and client won't launch on Mac — troubleshooting thread
A user posted about being unable to run both the XMage server and client on a Mac. XMage is a free, open-source program for playing the Magic: The Gathering card game online. This kind of issue can come up when using a Mac mini as a home server.
XMage lets you host and play Magic: The Gathering games over a network for free. It has two parts: the server (which hosts the game so others can join) and the client (the game interface you actually play on). Both need to be running at the same time on your machine, or the server runs on one machine and the client on another.
On macOS, common causes for launch failures include a mismatched Java version or system security settings blocking the app. If you're running a Mac mini as a home server and want to host XMage games, it's worth checking which version of Java is installed, reviewing firewall rules, and making sure the necessary network ports are open.
Key points
- XMage requires both a server and a client process to be running to play
- On Mac, the most common cause is a wrong or missing Java version
- macOS security and permission settings can silently block the app from launching
- If hosting on a Mac mini, also check firewall rules and open the required network ports
- The r/XMage community has threads with step-by-step fixes for Mac launch issues
Quick term guide
- client
- The game interface program you use to connect to a server and actually play
- open-source
- Software whose code is shared publicly so others can inspect, use, or change it.
- Magic: The Gathering
- A popular trading card game where players build decks and play against each other.
- Mac mini
- A small desktop computer made by Apple.
- home server
- A personal computer setup at home used to run services or store files instead of regular daily use.
- Interface
- The visual parts of a program that a human interacts with.
- firewall
- A security feature that controls which programs and connections are allowed through your computer's network
- Threads
- A text-based social media app created by Meta, similar to X.