PCGame

Dwarf Fortress

Dwarven colony simulation where deep systems turn failure into history

Bay 12 Games · Published by Kitfox Games · Released Dec 6, 2022

IndieSimulationStrategy

Reviews
Very Positive
94% of 31K
Recent reviews
Very Positive
94% of 88 in 30 days
Players
465
daily peak, Nov 7, 2026
Steam Deck
Playable
Last update on Steam
3 months ago
Aug 5, 2026
Minimum PC
HD 3000
4 GB RAM · 0.5 GB disk
Full requirements

Metacritic: 93/100 (critic reviews)

What is Dwarf Fortress?

A single-player construction and management simulation set in a generated fantasy world. You mine into a mountain, build a fortress, manage dwarves and supplies, and respond to threats ranging from starvation to hostile creatures.

For you if...

  • +you enjoy detailed colony management and base building
  • +you value emergent stories shaped by unexpected failures
  • +you accept a steep learning curve and punishing setbacks

Not for you if...

  • −you want simple controls and quickly explained systems
  • −you prefer clear victory goals over open-ended simulation
  • −you dislike rebuilding after a colony collapses

What players say

94% of 30,578 reviews are positive · 94% of 88 in the last 30 days

Players praise the detailed world simulation and unpredictable stories created by flourishing and collapsing fortresses. Common complaints focus on unintuitive, mouse-heavy menus, weak in-game explanations, and long-standing bugs that complicate large or long-running forts.

Players over time

▼ -38% vs a month ago

Players online on Steam, one sample a day.

Highest since Sep 2026: 825 players on Sep 21, 2026.

Show the data
DayPlayers
Nov 7, 2026465
Nov 6, 2026378
Nov 5, 2026339
Nov 4, 2026398
Nov 3, 2026419
Nov 2, 2026443
Nov 1, 2026494
Oct 31, 2026406
Oct 30, 2026433
Oct 29, 2026399
Oct 28, 2026398
Oct 27, 2026636
Oct 26, 2026645
Oct 25, 2026716
Oct 24, 2026659
Oct 23, 2026603
Oct 22, 2026608
Oct 21, 2026611
Oct 20, 2026693
Oct 18, 2026693
Oct 17, 2026674
Oct 16, 2026643
Oct 15, 2026689
Oct 14, 2026645
Oct 13, 2026760
Oct 11, 2026752
Oct 10, 2026762
Oct 9, 2026645
Oct 8, 2026681
Oct 7, 2026648
Oct 6, 2026665
Oct 4, 2026775
Oct 3, 2026688
Oct 2, 2026618
Oct 1, 2026663
Sep 30, 2026633
Sep 29, 2026684
Sep 27, 2026761
Sep 26, 2026722
Sep 25, 2026695
Sep 24, 2026699
Sep 23, 2026484
Sep 23, 2026761
Sep 22, 2026804
Sep 21, 2026825

Screenshots and trailer

Dwarf Fortress screenshot 1

Dwarf Fortress system requirements

Minimum: HD 3000, 4 GB RAM, 0.5 GB of disk space.

As published by the developer.

Can my PC run Dwarf Fortress?

Tell us your graphics card once and every game page will answer this for you.

Set up my PC →

Minimum

OS
XP SP3 or later
Processor
Dual Core CPU - 2.4GHz+
Graphics
1GB of VRAM: Intel HD 3000 GPU / AMD HD 5450 / Nvidia 9400 GT
Memory
4 GB RAM
Storage
500 MB available space
Notes
Requires 64 bit processor and operating system

Recommended

Processor
Dual Core CPU - 4GHz+
Memory
4 GB RAM
Storage
500 MB available space

Does Dwarf Fortress have co-op or multiplayer?

No: single-player only, no multiplayer modes declared.

Does Dwarf Fortress run on Steam Deck?

Playable Playable: it runs on Steam Deck with some adjustments.

  • Sometimes shows mouse, keyboard or non-Deck controller icons
  • Some text entry requires manually opening the on-screen keyboard
  • Some in-game text is small and may be hard to read
  • All functionality is accessible with the default controller configuration
  • Default graphics settings perform well on Steam Deck

PC version details

DRM
None declared on Steam
Controller
Keyboard and mouse
Platforms
Windows, Linux
Steam features
Workshop, Family Sharing
Languages
Text only: English.

Does Dwarf Fortress use AI-generated content?

No AI-generated content is disclosed on the game's Steam page.

Self-reported by the developer under Steam rules: it covers AI content that ships in the game, not tools used to make it. Steam page checked on Nov 6, 2026. How to filter AI games on Steam

Tags

Recent updates

2 DLC available.

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