Windows only. Steam reports the same platform list for the full game (app 5160800) and the demo (app 5165210): Windows: yes, Mac: no, Linux: no. There is no macOS version, no Linux build and no console version, and none has been announced. Steam publishes no Steam Deck statement for either listing and there is no native Linux build, so Deck support is unconfirmed rather than confirmed or refused. On top of that, the demo needs Windows 10 64-bit or newer plus a dedicated GPU with Vulkan 1.3 support — integrated graphics are not supported and may crash the game. Here are the minimum and recommended specifications.
Find The Needle demo PC requirements: minimum and recommended
| Minimum | Recommended | |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows 10 64-bit | Windows 11 64-bit |
| CPU | 4 cores / 8 threads, Intel i5-8400 or Ryzen 5 2600 | 6+ cores, Ryzen 5 5600 or Intel i5-12400 |
| Memory | 8 GB RAM | 16 GB RAM |
| GPU | Dedicated GPU with Vulkan 1.3 and 4 GB VRAM (GTX 1050 Ti or RX 570) | GTX 1660 Super or RTX 2060 with 6 GB VRAM |
| Storage | 2 GB | 2 GB |
These are the requirements listed on the demo's own store page. They do not guarantee a particular frame rate.
On Steam Deck specifically: the store publishes no compatibility verdict for app 5160800 or app 5165210, so this page will not claim one either way. What is known is that the game is a Windows build with no native Linux version and no Proton support record, so treat handheld play as untested rather than ruled out.
If the demo will not start on your machine, the crash fixes cover the file checks and the AMD launch workaround.
Integrated graphics are not supported
Intel and AMD integrated graphics are not supported by the game and may crash. On a dual-GPU laptop, select the dedicated GPU in the Windows graphics settings before you launch.
The demo trailer also shows a GTX 1050 Ti class card running the game, so the minimum spec is not a formality — but it is a dedicated card, not integrated graphics. If the game runs and then stutters as your factory grows, the performance page explains which side is actually the limit.
The full game is on the same platform list
The full game, app 5160800, reports the same Windows-only platform list and carries the same kind of minimum and recommended specification set. The release and Early Access page has the launch date, the price status and what the Early Access build contains.
Very large factories are CPU heavy
The recommended spec says very large factories are CPU heavy, and a faster CPU keeps the frame rate up late in the game. Every arm, belt and pole is work for the processor, so a compact layout with several parallel lanes beats a sprawling one — the factory layout rules are worth reading before you expand.