Core Keeper on Linux

Pugstorm’s underground mining and base-building adventure runs natively on Linux, is Steam Deck Verified and has a free Linux dedicated server for up to 8 players. Here is how it scores, how to host it, how mods work on Linux and what developers can learn from Pugstorm. Updated November 2026. Part of our Linux games list.

An underground base full of crafting stations — Core Keeper, running natively on Linux · Official screenshot, Pugstorm

01Scorecard

Core Keeper on Linux: the scorecard

Native Linux build

Yes, since Early Access. Proton is not needed.

Steam Deck

Verified.

Dedicated server

Native Linux server through SteamCMD (app 1963720), anonymous login.

Multiplayer

Drop-in, drop-out online co-op for 1 to 8 players.

Engine

Unity.

Current version

1.3.0.6, an October 2026 hotfix.

Last big update

1.3 “Riders of the Underground” (September 21, 2026).

Released

Early Access March 8, 2022; 1.0 on August 27, 2024.

Developer

Pugstorm, published by Fireshine Games and bilibili.

Reviews

Metacritic 86.

Verdict

Flawless. Native, Verified, and it hosts on Linux.

02Tests

How it does on our four tests

Runs natively or flawlessly

Pass. Native Linux client.

Steam Deck Verified

Pass.

Hosts on Linux

Pass. Native Linux dedicated server with a ready-made launch script.

Survives updates

Pass. Patches such as 1.3.0.5 shipped on all platforms together.

Four out of four.

03Setup

Installing and requirements

Buy and install on Steam. The native Linux build is used automatically.

	Minimum	Recommended
OS	Ubuntu 20.04	Ubuntu 22.04
CPU	Intel Core i5-2300 or AMD Ryzen 3 1200	Intel Core i5-8400 or AMD Ryzen 7 2700X
GPU	GeForce GTX 460 or Radeon HD 5850	GeForce GTX 1050 Ti or Radeon R9 280X

The Linux requirements on Steam give no RAM figure. The Windows ones ask for 8 GB, a safe target on Linux too.

04Deck

On the Steam Deck

Valve rates Core Keeper Verified and it runs on the Deck’s native Linux runtime. Text fields bring up the on-screen keyboard.

Use the game’s own V-sync option. Early testers found the Deck’s frame-sync setting had no effect in this game.

05Hosting

Dedicated server on Linux

Download the server: steamcmd +force_install_dir ~/corekeeper +login anonymous +app_update 1963720 validate +quit
Start it with ./_launch.sh. The script installs xvfb and libxi6 if they are missing, then runs CoreKeeperServer.
Share the Game ID. It is written to GameInfo.txt next to the server. Players join with it through Steam’s relay, so no ports are needed.
Want direct connect? Start with -port and forward that port over UDP.
More players: raise the default of 8 with -maxplayers.

What	Where
Server settings	`~/.config/unity3d/Pugstorm/Core Keeper/DedicatedServer/ServerConfig.json`
Worlds	`worlds/` in the same folder
Server log	`CoreKeeperServerLog.txt` in the server folder

06Files

Files and folders

What	Where
Your worlds and characters	`~/.config/unity3d/Pugstorm/Core Keeper/Steam/`, then a folder named after your Steam ID
Game log	`~/.config/unity3d/Pugstorm/Core Keeper/Player.log`

Copy the whole Core Keeper folder before big updates.

07Mods

Mods on Linux

Official mod support

Through mod.io and an official Mod SDK since September 2023, and the Steam Workshop since 1.3.

In the game

Mods install the same way on Linux as on Windows.

On a Linux server

There is no mod.io or Workshop downloader. Copy each mod and its dependencies into CoreKeeperServer_Data/StreamingAssets/Mods/ yourself.

Linux builds of mods

The SDK only builds Linux content if the mod’s author ticks that option. Without it, a Linux server loads the mod’s scripts but not its art.

08News

Updates and what is next

January 28, 2026: Void & Voltage. A big update, alongside the Switch 2 release.
September 21, 2026: 1.3 “Riders of the Underground”. Mounts, the Moss sub-biome, the Hookshot and reworked Mage and Summoner classes.
October 2026: 1.3.0.5 and 1.3.0.6. Fixes on all platforms.
Next: 1.4 “Trials of the Depths”, then 1.5 “Beyond the Breach”, with no dates yet.

09Devs

For developers: what Pugstorm gets right

Exact Linux versions in the requirements: Ubuntu 20.04 minimum, 22.04 recommended.
A Linux server with a launch script that installs what it needs.
Steam Deck Verified on the native Linux runtime.
A Mod SDK that can build Linux versions of mods.

10Gallery

Screenshots

A base beside a lava-lit forge — Forges and lava · Official screenshot, Pugstorm

A dark purple cavern — Deeper caverns · Official screenshot, Pugstorm

A base in a sandy desert cavern — The desert biome · Official screenshot, Pugstorm

A dark cave lit by a torch — Light the way · Official screenshot, Pugstorm

An ancient shrine underground — Ancient ruins · Official screenshot, Pugstorm

An underground farm — Farming underground · Official screenshot, Pugstorm

Dark underground corridors — Into the dark · Official screenshot, Pugstorm

?Q&A

Quick answers

Is Core Keeper native on Linux?

Yes. It has had a native Linux build since Early Access. Proton is not needed.

How do I host a Core Keeper server on Linux?

Download app 1963720 with SteamCMD and an anonymous login, run _launch.sh and share the Game ID from GameInfo.txt.

Do Core Keeper mods work on a Linux server?

Yes, if you copy them in by hand and the mod was built with Linux content.

Sources, checked November 2026: Steam store, SteamDB, GamingOnLinux, Pugstorm patch notes, server guides from game hosts, Unity documentation. Screenshots are official Steam store images from Pugstorm.