Factorio
AUTOMATION + FACTORY-BUILDING VIDEO GAME (2016 early access / 2020 full release) by WUBE SOFTWARE (CZECH REPUBLIC) — you crash-land on alien planet + build ever-larger factories automating mining, smelting, manufacturing, science, oil processing, trains, robotics, rocket assembly. Signature: 'THE FACTORY MUST GROW' obsession. Defends against native BITER attacks. Deeply optimizable; multiplayer supported. Beloved indie hit spawning genre of automation games (Satisfactory, Dyson Sphere Program, Shapez). Space Age expansion 2024.
Quick facts
Category
Video Games
Type
Individual
Players
1–65
Duration
~3600 min
Where played
indoor
Country of origin
🇨🇿 Czech Republic
Estimated origin
Kickstarter 2013; Early Access 2016; Full release 1.0 2020; Space Age DLC 2024
Olympic
No
Popularity
regional
How it works
Objective
Build factory that launches ROCKET to space (base game); or complete Space Age content.
Rules
Basic rules
Crash land on alien planet with only handcrafting; must MINE resources
Start conditions.
Progress via SCIENCE PACKS produced by factory → unlock more tech tree
Signature science-driven progression.
Build CONVEYOR BELTS, INSERTERS, ASSEMBLERS, TRAINS, DRONES to automate everything
Signature automation mechanics.
NATIVE BITERS attack factory pollution; build TURRETS + WALLS
Signature defense layer.
OIL PROCESSING + CHEMICAL PLANTS unlock advanced tech
Signature chem layer.
ROCKET LAUNCH: standard 'win' — launch rocket with satellite; new game+ / expansion continues
Signature endgame.
Scoring
No score; achievement is scale of factory + rocket launch.
Win condition · Launch a rocket (base game); or complete Space Age chapters.
Equipment
PC (Steam) — no console versions
PC exclusive game
Mouse + keyboard essential
Standard controls
Terminology
- SPM (Science Per Minute)
- Common factory throughput metric — bigger factories aim for 1000+ SPM.
- Belt
- Conveyor belt transporting items.
- Inserter
- Arm that picks up items + inserts into machines.
- Biter
- Alien creature that attacks factories producing pollution.
- Blueprint
- Saved factory layout for reuse.
- Bus
- Central multi-belt highway carrying key resources for factory layouts.
Where it is played
Famous names & records
Famous athletes
- Wube Software (developer)
- Various speedrun communities (0-500 SPM challenges)
- Youtubers/Streamers: Nilaus, KatherineOfSky, DoshDoshington
Sources & provenance
- Wube Software — Factorio— Wube Software
- Wikipedia — Factorio— Wikipedia