Summary
The Steam version ofDwarf Fortressis finally getting Adventure Mode on July 11, 2025. While the indie management sim has had no trouble cultivating a dedicated fanbase since coming to Steam in 2022, many fans have anxiously awaitedDwarf Fortress' more approachable roguelike Adventure Mode. Just over two years later, and that wait is finally coming to an end.
Developers and brothers Tarn and Zach Adams saidDwarf Fortress’Adventure Mode would blow players' mindsonce it came to Steam. That was back in 2023, and it wasn’t until 2024 that the roguelike, more exploration-focused game mode saw a beta release. After nearly another year, Adventure Mode is leaving beta later this month.
The small team behindDwarf Fortressrevealed the January 23 release date in a January 8 announcement on the game’s official Steam page. As players might expect from such a long process, the mode has undergone several changes since starting its beta test, so even long-time fans can expect some new experiences and surprises. Those who never played the pre-Steam original have a lot to look forward to as well, having never experienced this version of the game outside the beta. Overall,Dwarf Fortress’Adventure Mode is easier to get intothan Fortress Mode and remarkably immersive, with a massive slate of customization options.
While Adventure Mode is coming out of beta, the devs have still promised further developments. Alongside the announcement of the release date, the team unveiled a slew of updates now available for theDwarf Fortressbeta, adding a few final tweaks to the mode before its full launch. These include a handful of bug fixes, quality-of-life improvements, and new content to explain some of the customization options. There are also a few improvements coming to Fortress mode, the version of the game that helpedDwarf Fortressearn $9 million in just six daysafter its initial Steam release.
Players can expect more after the January 23 release, too. TheDwarf Fortressteam said many future updates to the game will address both Fortress and Adventure modes, citing there’s still a lot they’d like to add to each. What exactly those future additions could entail is unclear for now, as is the timeline. It took20 years of development forDwarf Fortressto land on Steam, so it may be best not to expect anything quickly. If the game’s history is anything to go by, though, any wait will be worth it.
Dwarf Fortress
WHERE TO PLAY
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!Nothing substantial is new or changed, under the hood. It’s still good old Dwarf Fortress, but with graphics support and music by default. A few bells and whistles won’t change that.
