During GDC 2025, I had a conversation with Tarn Adams, the co-creator and lead programmer of Dwarf Fortress, regarding the evolution of the game over the past 23 years.

In our discussion, Tarn explored how the challenge of aquifer flooding symbolizes the complexity of the game’s difficulty. He also shared his critiques about AI in gaming and its impact on creativity. As we delved deeper into our dialogue, the focus shifted to the dwarves - the central characters in Dwarf Fortress - and how they contribute uniquely to the game’s emergent storytelling.

Adams acknowledged that originally, dwarves were simply part of the gameplay, but they have burgeoned into a representation of human depth, stating, “Dwarves turned out to be fortuitous, because they’re sort of like - I don’t know why it pops into my head - replicants from Blade Runner. ‘More human than human.’ That’s a dwarf.”

This captures the essence of the Dwarf Fortress experience. According to Adams, dwarves embody diverse human emotions and flaws, allowing players to explore significant themes within the game:

“They’re allowed to embody bigger emotions. They’re allowed to make bigger mistakes. They’re allowed to do anything.”

Through this journey, Adams alluded to the concept of ‘dwarfiness’, coined by the game’s community, representing the whimsical and often reckless nature of dwarves. It’s this essence that enhances the player’s empathy, creating unforgettable stories that reflect human traits in a fantastical setting.