Install
The game is built on your own computer from your own disc image. Pick where you want to play and follow the steps. It takes about five minutes to read and one to two hours to build.
You need your own PAL SCES-500.06 disc image (the USA SCUS-971.28 disc also builds, as an experimental version with keyboard and mouse but without the PC settings, widescreen, quicksave or modern menus; its saves are separate) as a plain .iso. The builder checks it and stops if it does not match. Keep the file in a stable folder, because the game keeps reading it while you play.
To build (once): Windows 10 or 11 (64-bit), at least 16 GB of memory (24 GB recommended), about 10 GB of free disk space and an internet connection for the first tool downloads. The installer lets you choose how many CPU cores the build uses.
To play: 8 GB of memory, a 4-core CPU and a GPU with Vulkan or Direct3D 12 drivers (older Direct3D 11 cards can switch to the Direct3D 11 renderer).
Download DrakanPC-Setup.exe from the latest release, run it, then choose an install folder and your ISO. Leave Build the game now ticked. Optional components such as NVIDIA DLSS and the browser version are listed on the same screen.
Leave the build window open until it says it has finished. Some large steps print nothing for about ten minutes. Windows may ask permission to install Microsoft's C++ Build Tools.
Launch Drakan - The Ancients' Gates from the desktop or Start menu. Press F1 for PC Settings, F11 for fullscreen and F10 to release the mouse.
You need your own PAL SCES-500.06 disc image (the USA SCUS-971.28 disc also builds, as an experimental version with keyboard and mouse but without the PC settings, widescreen, quicksave or modern menus; its saves are separate) as a plain .iso. Keep it somewhere permanent: the game reads it during play.
To build: x86-64 Ubuntu or Debian with build tools, 16 GB of memory or more and about 10 GB of free disk space. To play: 8 GB of memory and a GPU with Vulkan drivers. The Linux guide lists the exact packages.
Clone the repository from GitHub and install the packages named in the guide. Everything runs from a terminal in the project folder.
Run the Linux build script with the path to your ISO. The first build takes one to two hours; later rebuilds are much faster and keep your saves.
Start the player from dist/DrakanPC-linux. Press F1 for PC Settings.
Use desktop Chrome or Edge. The player reads files you choose from your own computer; nothing is uploaded.
You need your own PAL SCES-500.06 disc image (the USA SCUS-971.28 disc also builds, as an experimental version with keyboard and mouse but without the PC settings, widescreen, quicksave or modern menus; its saves are separate) as a plain .iso.
The browser build is made locally, on Windows with WSL or on Linux, from the same disc. The browser guide walks through it.
Open the browser player and choose your build folder and ISO when asked. Keep using the same browser profile: saves live in that profile's storage.
Stuck at any point? See Troubleshooting. No game files are included or downloaded by this site.