The most insane and detailed simulation in gaming is preparing a true sensation—a prehistoric revolution. Twenty years after the release of the original version, the developers at Bay 12 Games and publisher Kitfox Games have decided to create a true Jurassic Park for our bearded charges. As part of the series’ anniversary celebration, which will last all summer, they announced a “prehistoric update,” codenamed the Dino Update.
This monstrous patch is scheduled for release on June 25, 2026. And believe me, the update’s main feature isn’t just a couple of new animals. The real highlight is a hundred representatives of extinct fauna, created, among others, by artist Guido “Neoriseisgood” Homen. Dinosaurs, of course, will be the main stars, and they can not only be hunted (most likely with the inevitable loss of life among your own dwarves), but also used as weapons of retaliation during wars.
Bay 12 Games didn’t limit themselves to just lizards, as one might expect. The new menagerie will span entire eras—from the Cambrian Explosion to the mammals and birds of the Holocene. The artist even joked that it would be more accurate to call this update “The Extinction Update.” A short teaser has already confirmed the appearance of woolly mammoths, ichthyosaurs, giant ground sloths, and that terrifying “shark” Helicoprion.
The pixelated monsters will not only be huge and angry, but also… highly detailed. Unexpected, huh?
Table of Contents
A Complete List of Prehistoric Creatures in the Dino Update for Dwarf Fortress
The main question that plagues all fans is who exactly will be joining the Dwarf Fortress bestiary? Right now, the full list is a mystery, saved for the release itself. But we’ve compiled the names of some lizards, legends, and truly outlandish creatures that have already been confirmed by Homen and the creators.
The creators took a very meticulous approach to selection, and personal preference played a significant role. For example, Brother Tharn Adams, known to fans, personally insisted on the inclusion of the Ankylosaurus—the very same armored “club” dinosaur. His passion for this lizard even served as the starting point for the list. The artist also personally added the Sharvipteryx—a little-known lizard whose gliding membrane was located on its hind legs, not on its forelimbs, like all familiar pterosaurs. This proves once again that even ancient reptiles in Dwarf Fortress will be incredibly unique.
But the surprises don’t end there. One of the last creatures to be added to the list at the very last minute is Tiktaalik. It’s not just any fish, but a crucial evolutionary link, demonstrating the transition from fish to terrestrial tetrapods. The developers, incidentally, are very proud of having also managed to add Spinosaurus mirabilis, which was described and named literally during the update’s creation in 2026. Other officially mentioned creatures include the strange “shark-like” Helicoprion, massive Dunkleosteus, giant ground sloths, and pterosaurs, presumably from the Asadarchid group. We can also confidently expect raptors and Archaeopteryx, which, according to the artist, will be “very feathered and colorful,” in line with modern scientific understanding.
Content Guide
-
What is it? A massive content patch adding 100 species of extinct creatures.
-
New mechanics: Hunting, taming, combat, and, yes, eating.
-
Visuals: Each beast has a unique pixel sprite, and the Beastmen race will receive a graphical overhaul.
-
Compatibility: Dinosaurs will require a new world generation. Beastmen will be updated in old saves.
-
Where to get: The update is free for all owners of the Steam version of the game.
Incidentally, fans concerned about preserving the purity of the fantasy setting have nothing to fear. Dinosaurs will be completely optional. The developers will specifically add five new world generation settings that will allow you to precisely control how frequent and dangerous these prehistoric creatures will be. And yes, don’t expect them to appear in your favorite old fort. As with most revolutionary changes to the world, Jurassic Park will only open its gates to newly generated universes.
The community, by the way, is already absolutely thrilled. Players are vying with each other to propose schemes for shearing mammoths to obtain new, unique “wool” or dreaming of completely replacing their ordinary chickens with flocks of velociraptors for defensive purposes. It seems Bay 12 Games has once again created not just an update, but a true generator of chaos and fun.
