This guide walks you through installing Vintage Story and launching it for the first time. It covers downloading the game from your account, choosing the correct .NET version, and installing the game on Windows, Linux, macOS, and Steam Deck.
Vintage Story won't start without a compatible Runtime version. The version number is the same on Windows, Linux, and macOS. Windows needs the Desktop Runtime, while Linux and macOS need the regular Runtime. On a Mac with Apple silicon, download the macOS x64 build, which runs through Rosetta. Versions 1.22.x and newer require .NET 10, version 1.21.x requires .NET 8, and versions 1.20.x through 1.18.8 require .NET 7. Versions 1.18.7 and older use .NET Framework 4 or Mono.
Note: The current version of the game installer for Windows automatically downloads the required version of the .NET Desktop Runtime.
Download the required version from Microsoft: .NET 10, .NET 8, or .NET 7. To check which runtimes are installed, run this command in a terminal:
dotnet --list-runtimesOn Windows, look for a Microsoft.WindowsDesktop.App entry with version 10, 8, or 7, as required by your game version. On Linux and macOS, check the version listed under Microsoft.NETCore.App.
Where to download the game
You can download Vintage Story from your account at account.vintagestory.at/downloads. You'll need an account with a valid game license to sign in. The game will ask for the same username and password the first time you launch it, so make sure you're connected to the internet.
For instructions on getting a license key and registering an account, see the separate guide: https://vintagestory.info/en/play/
If you're installing the game on Windows for the first time, choose Full Installer. If you already have version 1.18 or newer installed, you can use the Update option instead. On Linux, download the archive whose name starts with vs_client_linux-x64. On macOS, download Mac OS App.
Windows
Your browser may warn you about the installer. That is the usual notice for an unknown publisher, not a sign that the file is malicious. Click More info, then Run anyway. Current Windows installers download and install .NET on their own. If the game was installed from an archive, or the shortcut does nothing, download the Windows Desktop Runtime from Microsoft's website.
If the installer offers to remove an older version, you can allow it to do so. Your worlds and saves are stored separately from the game folder, so removing the old version won't delete them.
Linux
Flatpak
The package available from the game's official website already includes the required Runtime and is maintained by Anego Studios. Their Flathub build is also available, although updates may take a few hours or up to a day longer to appear there.
flatpak --user install https://flatpak.vintagestory.at/VintageStory.flatpakrefOnce installation is complete, Vintage Story will appear in your application menu. If the flatpak command isn't available, install Flatpak from your distribution's package repository and run the command above again.
Archive
To install from an archive, extract the tar.gz file and run run.sh. If the downloaded archive has a different name, replace the example filename in the command below with the actual one.
cd ~/Downloads
tar -xvf vs_client_linux-x64.tar.gz
cd vintagestory
./run.shWhen installing from an archive, you'll need to install the Runtime separately through your distribution's package manager. On Ubuntu and its derivatives, run this command for Vintage Story 1.22.x and newer:
sudo apt install dotnet-runtime-10.0For version 1.21.x, install dotnet-runtime-8.0. For versions 1.20.x through 1.18.8, use dotnet-runtime-7.0. On Alpine Linux, the corresponding packages are named dotnet10-runtime, dotnet8-runtime, and dotnet7-runtime.
Note: the manually installed client requires GLIBC 2.34 or newer. To check your version, run ldd --version.
If the required package is no longer available in your repository, you can install the Runtime directly into your home directory using Microsoft's installation script. Use channel 10.0 for .NET 10, 8.0 for .NET 8, and 7.0 for .NET 7.
wget https://dot.net/v1/dotnet-install.sh -O dotnet-install.sh
chmod +x ./dotnet-install.sh
./dotnet-install.sh --channel 10.0Next, add the following two lines to the end of ~/.bashrc. If you're using the zsh shell, add them to ~/.zshrc instead. Then log out and back in for the changes to take effect.
export DOTNET_ROOT=$HOME/.dotnet
export PATH=$PATH:$DOTNET_ROOT:$DOTNET_ROOT/toolsAfter logging back in, run echo $DOTNET_ROOT. It should print the path to your $HOME/.dotnet directory.
When updating the game, extract the new version into an empty folder. If you're extracting it over an existing installation, delete the assets folder first. Otherwise, old files may remain and cause duplicate pages to appear in the handbook tab.
The run.sh file contains the line # export DRI_PRIME=1. If your computer has both integrated graphics and a dedicated graphics card, remove the hash at the beginning of this line to enable the setting.
If the cursor doesn't line up with buttons or you can't resize the game window, try launching the game with this command:
mesa_glthread=false ./VintagestoryTo apply the same setting permanently to the Flatpak version, run:
flatpak override --user --env=mesa_glthread=false at.vintagestory.VintageStorymacOS
First, install the Runtime required by your game version. On a Mac with Apple silicon, use the x64 build, which runs through Rosetta. Then double-click the Mac OS App archive to extract it. Once extracted, you can move the application to your Applications folder.
To open the game for the first time, hold down Command, click the application, and select Open. If prompted again, click Open once more. Simply double-clicking the app at this stage may only give you the option to delete the file or cancel.
macOS sometimes reports that the application is damaged and should be moved to the Trash. The file is intact: this is the macOS quarantine check. You can clear it in Terminal.
cd ~/Downloads/
sudo xattr -rd com.apple.quarantine "Vintage Story.app"Note: make sure the name in quotation marks exactly matches the application name created after extraction. The command above uses the name from the current build.
Since version 1.21, the game's data folder is located at ~/Library/Application Support/VintagestoryData. If your worlds disappear from the menu after an update, check the old folder at ~/.config/VintagestoryData in case your saves are still there.
Steam Deck
Steam Deck can run the same Linux archive as a regular Linux computer. All installation steps must be completed in Desktop Mode. To switch to it, press the Power button and select Switch to Desktop. To return to Gaming Mode, use the Return to Gaming Mode icon.
In Desktop Mode, the left trigger acts as a left mouse click, the right trigger acts as a right click, and the right trackpad moves the cursor. Press Steam+X to bring up the on-screen keyboard.
The easiest way to install the game is through the official Flatpak package. Open Konsole and run the same command listed in the Linux section. The Runtime is already included in the package and remains available after SteamOS updates.
You can also install the game through Discover. Search for Vintage Story, select Flathub (user) under Sources, and click Install. Keep in mind that the Flathub version may become available slightly later than the official package.
A manual installation is useful if you need a specific release or a test build. Download the Linux tar.gz archive using Firefox, open it in Dolphin with Arc, and extract it to /home/deck/.local/share. The resulting game folder should be /home/deck/.local/share/vintagestory.
SteamOS removes .NET packages installed through pacman when the system updates. For a manual installation, it's better to install the Runtime in your home directory using the same script as on Linux and selecting the channel that matches your game version.
Gaming Mode doesn't read settings from ~/.bashrc. Instead, add the two DOTNET_ROOT and PATH lines to the beginning of run.sh, immediately after #!/bin/bash.
While still in Desktop Mode, open Steam and go to Library → Add a Game → Add a Non-Steam Game → Browse. Select run.sh from your game folder and add it to your library. Once you return to Gaming Mode, you can launch Vintage Story just like any other game in Steam.
For a manual installation, worlds are stored in /home/deck/.config/VintagestoryData. For Flatpak installations, they're located at /home/deck/.var/app/at.vintagestory.VintageStory/config/VintagestoryData.
The detailed wiki pages: Installing the game on Windows, Installing the game on Linux, Installing the game on MacOS, Installing the game on Steam Deck.