How To Install 0 A.D. on Linux
0 A.D. is an open source real-time strategy game for Linux and other platforms. Gameplay consists of maintaining your unique civilization while history passes by. The game isn’t a Sid Meyer’s Civilization clone. Instead, it aims to be a different, free alternative for fans of history and strategy. In this tutorial, we’ll be going over how to install 0 A.D. on Linux. We will be covering all major Linux distributions. To run this game, you’ll need 1 GB of RAM, a decent CPU and a mainstream Linux distribution (like Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, etc.)
Ubuntu
Users can install the 0 A.D. video game on Ubuntu through the official software sources, though going this route ensures that the video game isn’t exactly up to date. If you’re on Ubuntu and want the latest version of 0 A.D., setting it up through the official PPA is a much better idea.
To set up the PPA, launch a terminal and use the apt-add-repository command.
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:wfg/0ad
With the game’s software PPA set up, it’s time to run the update command. Running update will allow Ubuntu to see the new 0 A.D. software source.
sudo apt update
Using the update command on Ubuntu will set up the new 0 A.D. software source. It’ll also check for new software updates, and let you know that you should install them. To install these software updates, use the upgrade command.
sudo apt upgrade -y
Now that Ubuntu is up to date, and the new PPA is up and running, finish up the process by installing 0 A.D.
sudo apt install 0ad -y
Want to uninstall 0 A.D.? Try:
sudo apt remove 0ad --purge -y
Debian
The 0 A.D. strategy game is ready to install thanks to Debian developers choosing to include it in the official software sources. The reason the game is readily available in the official sources is that 0 A.D. is open source.
It’s cool that Debian carries a version of this game that its users can install. With that said, the version they distribute, like all Debian software is outdated. While this might not matter to most programs, as the main reason to use Debian is for stability, it doesn’t quite work out with video games. Generally, users want to always have the newest version of the game, with the latest features and modes.
Thankfully, there is an updated version of the game in Debian Backports. This software repo allows users the latest release of the game. To enable it, launch a terminal and gain a root shell with su.
Note: if you need guidance setting up Debian Backports, check out our tutorial!
su -
In your root shell, use the echo commands and add the new software source to Debian.
echo '#Debian Backports' >> /etc/apt/sources.list echo >> 'deb https://http.debian.net/debian stretch-backports main'
Run the update command, so that Debian can access the new Backport software source.
sudo apt-get update
Finally, install the latest version of 0 A.D. from the backports.
sudo apt-get install -t stretch-backports 0ad
Done with the game on Debian? Uninstall with apt-get.
sudo apt-get uninstall
Arch Linux
Arch Linux always has a very fresh version of the 0 A.D. video game available in their software repositories, thanks to the “Community” software repository. Unfortunately, Arch fans won’t be able to install this game unless they enable “Community.” To turn on the repository, launch a terminal and use sudo to edit Pacman.conf in root mode.
sudo nano /etc/pacman.conf
Scroll down through the Pacman configuration file and locate “Community.” Remove all instances of # from in front. Be sure to get all the lines directly under “Community,” or it won’t work. When the edit looks good, save by pressing Ctrl + X, and exit with Ctrl + O.
Re-sync Arch Linux with the official software sources, and allow the new “Community” repository to set itself up.
sudo pacman -Syy
Install any updates with:
sudo pacman -Syyuu
Finally, get the latest version of 0 A.D. with:
sudo pacman -S 0ad
Fedora
Fedora Linux is an up-to-date Linux distribution. The operating system has regular software updates, so it makes sense that there’s a fresh version of 0 A.D. available in the official software sources. If you’re a gamer on Fedora, you can install it by launching a terminal and executing the following command:
sudo dnf install 0ad -y
OpenSUSE
Those on OpenSUSE Linux will need to get the 0 A.D. video game through the third-party “Gaming” repo. To add it, open up a terminal and do the following:
OpenSUSE Leap
sudo zypper addrepo https://ftp.gwdg.de/pub/opensuse/repositories/games/openSUSE_Leap_15.0/ opensuse-games
Tumbleweed
sudo zypper addrepo https://ftp.gwdg.de/pub/opensuse/repositories/games/openSUSE_Tumbleweed/ opensuse-games
Finish up the process by running:
sudo zypper install 0ad
Flatpak Instructions
0 A.D. Works on nearly every Linux distribution, big and small, thanks to the magic of Flatpak. To install the game for Flatpak, ensure you have the latest version of it on your Linux PC. Then, run the commands below in a terminal window to get 0 A.D. working.
Note: not sure how Flatpak works or how to install it? Check out our in-depth walkthrough!
flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo flatpak install flathub com.play0ad.zeroad
