Indie · December 6, 2022

Dwarf Fortress (2022)

extension2 DLClocal_offer-20% current discountgroup1M–10M ownerstrending_up915 peak concurrentrecommend27.9k recommendations
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.

Indie releases from 2022

24 Indie titles launched in 2022 — top 6 by review volume.

Position in Indie

MetricThis titleGenre position
Review volume28.6k Steam reviewsTop 11% in Indie
Positive rating95% positiveGenre average: 87% — this title sits in top 23%
Metacritic93/100Genre average 77 — top 2% of Indie titles
Concurrent peak915 playersTop 9% in Indie by live player count
Engagement hours32 h averageTop 17% for session depth among Indie

Community Tag Signals

Tag weights reflect how many Steam users voted each descriptor — larger pills = stronger consensus.

  • Dwarf · 4.6k
  • Colony Sim · 4.5k
  • Strategy · 4.5k
  • Simulation · 4.5k
  • Base-Building · 4.5k
  • City Builder · 4.5k
  • Sandbox · 4.5k
  • Management · 4.5k
  • Building · 4.5k
  • Survival · 4.5k
  • Rogue-like · 931
  • Open World · 882
  • Procedural Generation · 857
  • Resource Management · 845
  • Fantasy · 694

Peer Indie titles

Comparable titles in the same genre and review-volume band — ranked by Steam positive percentage.

Reception Metrics

Steam community

95%Overwhelmingly Positive · 28.6k reviews

27.2k positive · 1.4k negative

Metacritic

93/100 critic aggregate

Open Metacritic page

Curator recommendations

27.9k

Peak concurrent players

915

Press Quotes

“You've got to play Dwarf Fortress to truly understand the madness of its creators – and of its biggest fans.” WIRED “It's in systems that the beauty of their game lies, systems that are capable of generating in minutes worlds that contain more richness than some entire game franchises.” Polygon “[...] Once you’re hooked, it feels vast, enveloping, alive.” New York Times

Release & Availability

Release dateDec 6, 2022
DeveloperBay 12 Games
PublisherKitfox Games
Base price$23.99 -20%
DLC / Add-ons2 released
PlatformsWindows, Linux
Estimated owners1M–10M
External linksMetacritic page · Support · [email protected]

Engagement Profile

All-time avg

32h

moderate (15–40 hours)

Median

7h

Typical completion time

2-week avg

7h

Current engagement

Content Notes

Dwarf Fortress contains textual descriptions of violence, and static 2D sprites that may have violent ends. Alcohol consumption is required for a dwarven fortress to run smoothly, as described in text. Dwarves can experience mental anguish, and in extreme cases this can lead to them taking their own lives or the lives of others.

Features & Capabilities

Community

  • Steam Workshop

Other

  • Single-player
  • Family Sharing

Editions & Packages

  • Buy Dwarf Fortress