Dwarf Fortress

Dwarf Fortress

Released Dec 2022

Build a fortress and try to help your dwarves survive against a deeply generated world. Keep your dwarves happy, grow their community and beware of digging too deeply. The deepest, most intricate simulation of a world that's ever been created.

94% positive · 32K reviews
Not yet
Released, but still in active development
High confidence
Active Development
Not yet
Released, but still in active development
High confidence
Active Development

Where to buy

Steam $29.99
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Evaluation

Dwarf Fortress launched on Steam on December 6, 2022, but its development history stretches back to 2003. Since the Steam launch, Bay 12 Games has maintained a consistent and active cadence of major content releases: Adventure Mode shipped on January 23, 2025; the Siege Update — a comprehensive rework of enemy invasion behavior — launched on November 3, 2025; the Dinosaur Update, adding over 100 extinct creatures, released on June 25, 2026; and patch 53.16 arrived on August 5, 2026 (today), alongside a 20th anniversary celebration stream. The Myth & Magic update is confirmed to be actively in development. The August 5, 2026 post reveals new key art for the update and announces that a first-look gameplay demo will be shown at Gamescom at the end of August 2026. A December 2025 developer post laid out an extensive multi-phase roadmap covering magic systems, resident wizards, improved diplomacy, Adventure Mode site building, world map rewrites, and a long-term return to villains and civilization systems. A February 2025 developer statement confirmed that "we will be busy with Dwarf Fortress development for a long time," and the store description explicitly describes the game as "a lifetime 'living' project — created/updated since 2003, with no end in sight." There are no announced final updates or completion statements of any kind.
Evidence
Patch 53.16 released today alongside a 20th anniversary celebration stream. Post reveals new Myth & Magic key art and announces a first-look Myth & Magic gameplay reveal at Gamescom at the end of August 2026.
news post · Aug 5, 2026 source content planned
high
The Dinosaur Update (patch 53.15) launched, adding 100 extinct creatures and animal people. Post notes that development on the Magic update continues.
news post · Jun 25, 2026 source content shipped
high

Content

2 of 2 released · no outstanding content

Media

Details

Developer
Publisher
Kitfox Games
Achievements
—
Platform
Windows, Linux
Controller
—
Steam Deck
Playable
Players
Single-player

About this game

Prepare for the deepest, most intricate simulation of a world that has ever been created.

  • Not just generated geometry -- a whole simulated world. Generated rise and fall of civilizations, personalities, creatures, cultures, etc. Infinite hours of gameplay.

  • Now with beautiful pixel graphics!

  • Learn the basics with in-game tutorials

  • A lifetime “living” project - created/updated since 2003, with no end in sight

  • Generate your unique world and manage a bustling colony of dwarves, even as they probably mine towards their eventual demise.

  • A new endless hobby, just for you!

The legendary Dwarf Fortress is now on Steam! Build a fortress and try to help your dwarves survive, despite threats of starvation, dragons, and madness.

In this complex construction/management/roguelike simulation, every generated world brings a unique challenge, whether it’s dwarves with their own simulated personalities or aquifers. Observe what makes your civilization fall into eventual decline, and learn for next time… until something else inevitably goes wrong.

The combat model includes skills, body parts, material properties, aimed attacks, wrestling, pain, nausea, various poison effects, and much more.

It’s difficult to convey the depth of the generation. Hundreds of animals and monsters, many of which are randomly created for each world, as well as generated poetry, musical forms, instruments, and dances for your dwarves to practice and perform. A dynamic weather model tracks wind, humidity, and air masses to create fronts, clouds, storms, and blizzards. Over two hundred rock and mineral types can appear, in their proper geological environments.

Remember: Losing is fun!

This is still good old Dwarf Fortress, but with graphics support and music provided. A few bells and whistles won’t change its essence.

Classic Dwarf Fortress mod-artist Jacob "Ironhand" Bowman collaborated with artists Carolyn Jong and Neoriceisgood to create an all-new sprite pack for the game, which they continue to add to regularly.

Dwarf Fortress also has hours of music in a two-volume soundtrack by Dabu and Simon Swerwer, including tracks in the Dwarvish language!

It's never been easier to start playing! We've improved the new player experience with the addition of tutorials to guide you through building your first fort and keeping your dwarves happy.


Command your dwarves as they search for wealth in their generated mountain. Your dwarves will need a steady supply of food and beer, but they’ll also need your guidance in surviving attacks from hostile civilizations, the wilderness, or even the dead.

  • Craft treasures and furnitures from various materials

  • Establish a barony and support the increasingly demanding nobility

  • Read your dwarves’ thoughts to keep them happy

  • Build floodgates to divert water for farming, and/or prevent magma mishaps

  • Build structures and watch your dwarves discover and build their culture, like taverns, libraries, temples, honey, wax, pottery, animal training, bookbinding, and more.

  • Go anywhere! Explore any civilization, earn a reputation, and recruit followers to join you

  • Experience your fortress and the simulation in a new, more embodied way

  • Explore mythical dungeons to find magical items, artifacts, and fill your quest journal

  • Hints of mythology and magic as a start of future simulation enrichment to come

  • An additional hour of music from Dabu and Simon Swerwer, presented as a second volume of the original soundtrack

  • The original inspiration for RimWorld, Prison Architect, Minecraft and more.

  • One of the first video games acquired by the Museum of Modern Art in New York

  • Updated for over 16 years by two brothers, Tarn “Toady One” and Zach “Threetoe” Adams, and with the support of Kitfox Games since 2020.

Last evaluated Aug 5, 2026
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