Ascii Game Dwarf Fortress Gets Updated Graphics and Appears on Steam

Development studio Kitfox Games is going to release a paid version of simulation game Dwarf Fortress via Steam and itch.io, with updated graphics. The original game has been in development since 2006 and is made up of ascii characters.

There will be no changes to gameplay, but the game will get an update for graphics and music and support for Steam Workshop will also be added, according to Kitfox Games. The premium version of Dwarf Fortress will cost $20 and the studio wants to use that money to financially support the original creators of the game. Those creators, brothers Tarn and Zach Adams, are now dependent on Patreon donations and increasingly struggling with health issues.

The brothers started developing Dwarf Fortress in 2006 as Bay 12 Games and released a first alpha version in 2008. In the game, the player controls a group of dwarves who have to build an underground fortress. The game looks like it dates back to the eighties at the earliest due to its ascii rendering, but it is remarkably complex and difficult for many players to get into.

A special feature is that elements in the game are generated procedurally, such as rain, the distribution of minerals and temperatures. The construction options would have served as inspiration for Minecraft. The original game remains available as freeware. The new version will be available on Steam and itch.io for $20.