Dwarf Fortress, the cult hit that became a surprise success in late 2022, has just release an update adding one of the most requested additions to the premium Steam version. Arena Mode, a sandbox game mode that allows you to pit creatures against each other in a battle arena, was added in the v50.06 patch on February 7.
What is Arena mode in Dwarf Fortress?
Arena mode was a fan-favorite feature of the freeware version, allowing players to test out combat theories and what-ifs. Want to know how many dwarves it takes to kill a dragon? Or whether a Bronze Colossus has a melting point? Arena can let you know.
But as is sometimes the case with patches, when something is added, something is taken away. Not always deliberately. For whatever reason, adding the Arena broke the ability to embark in Fortress Mode. According to the Kitfox games Twitter, developer Tarn Adam’s response was “GAHHH.”
We’re sure that this will be fixed soon, but in the meantime, you can enjoy some of the other updates. Such as new sprites for crops, some more ambient sounds (including thunderstorms, which we love), and typically hilarious patch notes. What do we mean by that? Well, Dwarf Fortress has been notorious for unwittingly funny bugs and changes in the past, including “Added an aperture flag that stops mouths from being gouged out” and “Stopped aerial births.”
The 50.06 update includes some new additions to the list of hilarious patch notes, such as “Stopped dragons and other megabeasts from appearing as relatives of random dwarves in the fort.” Or how about “Allowed emotionless creatures to satisfy needs if they still have them.” We couldn't make these up if we tried.
Dwarf Fortress’ latest patch is playable now. For more guides and info about the game check out All Dwarf Fortress quality symbols and what they mean on Pro Game Guides.
Michael lives in the UK, but wishes he lived in Eorzea. A life-long gamer, Four years ago, he ditched a "real" job to write about video games for a living, and hasn't looked back. When not guiding players how to get the latest mounts, crafting recipes, and in-game goodies, he spends his time nurturing an unhealthy addiction to MMOs and gacha games.