Dwarf Fortress artwork and logo for the improved Steam version

[Update]: Dwarf Fortress' new and improved version has now landed onto Steam, and I'm happy to say that it has done so alongside overwhelmingly positive reviews!.

After a fair bit of time in development, Dwarf Fortress' much-anticipated Steam port has now finally been pinned for a December 6th launch. Rather than be a simple copy of the free version, the Steam port will bring with it an assortment of quality-of-life features and improvements to make the process of learning and playing Dwarf Fortress a lot less overwhelming, especially for new players.

These features include a set of stylish visuals to better help represent what's happening in the world, an overhauled UI focused around usability and readability, Steam Workshop support to make modding easier, as well as a bunch of quality-of-life improvements and additions to help smooth out any rough edges. Most importantly, at least as far as pure beginners are concerned, the Steam version of Dwarf Fortress will also come with a comprehensive tutorial that will (hopefully) instill you with all the knowledge you need to set off on your own.

What some of this looks like in action, that you can get a little sneak peek at through the release date trailer below. Have a gander:

As for the price tag, the upgraded version of Dwarf Fortress will set you back $30. It's quite a jump in price from the freeware version, but as far as I'm concerned the Steam upgrade will be worth every penny if it manages to successfully make Dwarf Fortress enjoyable without undergoing a rigorous, two-week training course.

Whatever the case may be, I'll make sure to let you know once Dwarf Fortress is finally unleashed onto Steam. Until then, consider giving the original game a look if you haven't already. It's a frustrating yet magical experience.