Mindustry review: a factory game you can host

Mindustry is a free open-source tower defense game for desktop and Android. ⁷¹ You build supply chains of conveyor belts, feed ammo into turrets, and defend your structures from waves of enemies. ³ Computers and phones can run it, including a paid iPhone and iPad app. ³⁶ You can play a single-player game, or host a match for people on the same Wi-Fi. ⁸⁷

Last checked October 28, 2026.

At a glance

What it is: A factory game and tower defense game, with a campaign, custom maps, and multiplayer. ³⁵

Works on: Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android. iPhone needs iOS 15 or later. iPad needs iPadOS 15 or later. Apple Vision needs visionOS 1.0 or later. ³⁶

Price: Free on desktop and Android. Steam is $9.99. The App Store app is $1.99. ⁷⁸⁶

Licence: GPL-3.0 on GitHub. F-Droid lists GNU General Public License v3.0 or later. ¹⁴

Best for: A single-player factory game, or a match you host on your own network. ⁸⁷

Official site: mindustrygame.github.io

What Mindustry does (and how it protects your privacy)

Mindustry is a hybrid tower-defense sandbox factory game. ³ You produce materials, construct units, and keep waves away from your core. ⁵

Desktop and Android are the free copies. The project charges for Steam and iOS because that supports the developer, and those copies include features the free versions leave out. ⁷ The FAQ lists a map, mod, and schematic browser, publicly visible servers, achievements, and stat tracking. Steam also adds multiplayer that does not need port forwarding, cloud saves, and the Steam community. ⁷ On the same Wi-Fi, open the pause menu and press Host Multiplayer Game, then have a friend join from Play, then Join Game. ⁷ Across the internet, you port-forward and share your address, or you join a public server. ⁷

The game is written in Java. The GitHub page labels the repository Public and the licence GPL-3.0. ¹ Build 160.7 was published on 8 October 2026. ² Anuken, also called Anuke, did most of the music, graphics, and programming. ⁷ The App Store seller is Anton Kramskoi. Google Play names Anton M Kramskoi. ⁶⁵

Key features of Mindustry

Two campaigns on Serpulo and Erekir: 35 hand-made maps, 250+ generated sectors, research, and launch pads. ⁵
Factory lines of conveyor belts, production blocks, liquids, coolant, and lubricant. ⁸
More than 50 drones, mechs, and ships, built on assembly lines. ⁵
More than 250 blocks, plus rules for costs, enemy stats, starting items, and wave timing. ⁵
A map editor with scripting, and a built-in mod browser. ⁵
A server build with each release, including a version 160.7 server zip on itch.io. ¹³
Cross-platform play between a computer and a phone on the same version. ⁷

Pros and cons

Pros

Free on desktop and Android. Steam and iOS are the paid copies. ⁷
Public GPL-3.0 source, and build 160.7 on 8 October 2026. ¹²
Single-player, or a Wi-Fi game you host from the pause menu. ⁸⁷
F-Droid builds and signs the Android app from the source tarball. ⁴
Play says no data is collected and none is shared with third parties. The App Store says the developer collects none. ⁵⁶
Steam’s minimum is 1 GB of memory, 200 MB of disk, and OpenGL 2.0 graphics. ⁸

Cons

Steam is $9.99. That copy adds stat tracking, cloud saves, and Steam multiplayer. The App Store app is $1.99. ⁸⁶⁷
Internet matches need port forwarding, or a public server run by someone else. ⁷
Apple takes one to two days to review each iOS build after it is uploaded. ⁷
The game does not run on a Raspberry Pi. A dedicated server can, with the right Java. ⁷
Android asks for full network access and permission to read and change shared storage. ⁴
Some public Wi-Fi networks block server discovery, so a nearby game may not appear until you add the host’s address. ⁷

Is Mindustry safe and private?

Google Play’s Data safety section says no data is collected and no data is shared with third parties. The page says the developer provided that information and may update it. ⁵ The App Store says the developer does not collect any data, and that practices can vary with the features you use or your age. ⁶ Play was updated on 7 October 2026. Its notes match the 160.7 fixes for server commands and a shield effect. ⁵² The App Store shows version 8.160.7, dated 8 October. ⁶

Steam’s page lists Steam Cloud and stats, and the project describes Steam multiplayer as secure and seamless, without port forwarding. ⁸⁷ The itch.io page offers Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and server files marked 160.7. ³ F-Droid’s package 8-fdroid-160.7 was added on 12 October 2026 for Android 5.0 or newer. F-Droid built and signed it from the source tarball. ⁴ That listing allows network sockets and access to shared storage. ⁴ Custom maps are .msav files from the editor. ⁷ Play rates it Everyone 10+ for fantasy violence. The App Store rates it 13+, and names guns or other weapons, fantasy violence, chat, and user-generated content. ⁵⁶

How to get Mindustry

Pick the free desktop or Android build if you do not need the paid extras. Steam adds cloud saves, stat tracking, and Steam multiplayer. The App Store app is the iPhone and iPad copy. ⁷
On Windows, macOS, or Linux, download the 160.7 zip from itch.io and start the game. A server zip is on the same page. ³ The README also links Google Play, F-Droid, and Flathub. Snapshots are built for every code change, so use the numbered release. ¹ On Linux, Lutris can hold your games in one library.
On Android, install from F-Droid or Google Play. F-Droid needs Android 5.0 or newer. Play also lists the game for Windows. ⁴⁵
On iPhone, iPad, or Apple Vision, use the App Store. iPhone needs iOS 15 or later. iPad needs iPadOS 15 or later. Apple Vision needs visionOS 1.0 or later. ⁶ Apple takes one to two days to review each build after upload. ⁷
On Steam, Mindustry is $9.99 from AnukenDev, with a listed release date of 26 September 2019. From 1 January 2024 the Steam client supports Windows 10 and later, while the game minimum still names Windows 7, 8, and 10. ⁸ An out-of-date desktop copy can be replaced from itch.io. ⁷
Start the campaign or a custom game. ⁵
For a nearby friend, use the same version, host from the pause menu, and let them join from Play, then Join Game. ⁷

Who should use Mindustry (and who might prefer something else)

Mindustry fits people who want a factory and a base to defend, with published source and a free desktop or Android download. ⁷ For Workshop maps, achievements, cloud saves, and Steam multiplayer, the developer points to the paid Steam edition. ⁷⁸

For turn-based fantasy battles, try The Battle for Wesnoth. For a transport network you grow over time, try OpenTTD. To make your own game, Godot Engine is an open-source engine. To change Mindustry, the FAQ points to GitHub, where people can contribute code. ⁷

Frequently asked questions

Is Mindustry free?

Yes. Desktop and Android downloads are free. Steam is $9.99 and the App Store app is $1.99, which supports the developer and adds features the free copies leave out. ⁷⁸⁶ The current itch.io files are build 160.7, published on 8 October 2026. ³²

Is Mindustry safe?

The source is public under GPL-3.0, and build 160.7 came out on 8 October 2026. ¹² Google Play and the App Store show the developer stating that no data is collected. Play adds that nothing is shared with third parties, and that the developer provided that information. ⁵⁶ For a private match, host on your own Wi-Fi or run the server build from the release. ⁷¹

Does Mindustry work on iPhone?

Yes. It is on the App Store for iPhone and iPad, needs iOS 15 or later on iPhone and iPadOS 15 or later on iPad, costs $1.99, and the listing shows version 8.160.7 dated 8 October. ⁶ It can play with a computer on the same version. Apple reviews each iOS upload, which can take one to two days. ⁷

Can I play Mindustry with friends without Steam?

Yes. On the same Wi-Fi, host from the pause menu. If nothing appears, some networks block discovery, so type the host’s local address. ⁷ Over the internet, use port forwarding or a public server. Steam multiplayer is the paid way that skips port forwarding. ⁷