One of the greatest open source games, available since 2004 for desktop systems, OpenTTD is now available on Steam.
An open source remake and expansion of the 1994 game Transport Tycoon Deluxe, OpenTTD has previously relied on SourceForge. Latterly, grabbing a copy of OpenTTD – which is free to play – meant visiting the website at openttd.org.
Moving with the times, the development team has opted to add OpenTTD to Steam. Available there for Windows, macOS, and Linux, the 38MB download retains the isometric graphics of the original release. But why did they opt to release OpenTTD on Steam, and why now?
“…we noticed other people post OpenTTD on some stores. They are not always updated with new releases, sometimes even slacking behind a few years. And maybe more important to us: we can not guarantee that the uploaded version is unmodified and is the version as we intended. So, instead of fighting it, why not turn around and join them! Why not release our own, verified, builds on those stores!”
There is certainly nothing worse than having someone present an old version of your work as the current release. So, to find the latest version of OpenTTD, you now need to head to Steam. It’s likely you already have Steam installed, but if not you’ll need to download Steam and set up an account. Once you’ve done that, browse for OpenTTD and add it to your account for free.
Incidentally, if you’re using Windows and don’t want to use Steam (hey, it’s your life) you can install OpenTTD from the Windows Store.
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Christian Cawley is a writer and editor who covers consumer electronics, IT, and entertainment media. He has written for publications such as Computer Weekly, Linux Format, MakeUseOf.com, and Tech Radar.
He also produces podcasts, has a cigar box guitar, and of course, loves retro gaming.