Factorio 2.1 goes stable with native ARM64 Linux: requirements and which PCs run it

Wube marked Factorio 2.1 as stable today, October 23, after a long summer in experimental and exactly 2 years after the Space Age release. The headline for your hardware is that Factorio now runs natively on ARM64 Linux. According to the studio, that covers Steam Frame, Raspberry Pi as a headless server, Asahi Linux on Apple Silicon MacBooks and other assorted hardware. The rest of 2.1 adds no new planets, enemies or research trees. It is a big batch of quality of life changes, space logistics upgrades, circuit network additions and new graphics.

Factorio PC requirements

These are the Windows requirements from the Steam page:

The minimum targets 1080p with normal sprite resolution and low quality compression. The recommended moves up to high sprite resolution and high quality compression.

Linux, ARM64 and Mac

On Linux, Steam lists the same GPUs as on Windows, with 8 GB of RAM for the minimum and 16 GB for the recommended. The CPU bar is a little lower: dual core 3 GHz+ for the minimum and quad core 3 GHz+ for the recommended. It also requires PulseAudio and refers to a tarball installation. The Steam page does not list separate requirements for ARM64.

One detail worth getting right from the studio’s list: the Raspberry Pi is named as a headless server, meaning no display. And if you own an Apple Silicon Mac, Factorio already had a macOS version, with a 2020 Apple Silicon Mac as the recommended spec on Steam. The new build is for people running Asahi Linux on that Mac. For more games on that system, see our list of Linux games.

Which GPUs run it

Every popular GPU we check clears both the minimum and the recommended. Measured against the recommended, the GTX 1650 and the RX 580 grade B (Solid), the GTX 1060 6GB grades A (Smooth) and the RTX 3060 grades S (Overkill).

On Steam Deck, Valve rates it Verified. You can find the details on the Factorio Steam Deck page.

Before you update to 2.1

The studio asks for some care if you stayed on 2.0 stable:

• 2.0 saves: they load, but some changes can break existing factory designs, such as the circuit Input/Output split.
• No way back: once you update, blueprints and saves cannot be downgraded to 2.0.
• Backups: Wube recommends backing up any saves and blueprints you care about.
• Mods: most popular mods were updated during the experimental period, but some you rely on may not be ready yet.

Can your PC run Factorio?

Here is how your setup grades against Factorio’s requirements:

Game	Rec. GPU score	Rec. RAM	Min. RAM	Your PC
Factorio	6,350	16 GB	8 GB	?

The full game page has the detailed grade for your GPU and RAM.

Sources: Factorio: Friday Facts #449, Factorio on Steam, Steam announcement: Friday Facts #449