Hearts of Iron IV (2016): runs on Windows 11, Mac, Linux, Steam Deck?

Windows 11✓
Steam Deck✓ Playable
Mac✓
Linux✓ native

Gamicality score 85 / 100

Playability today ★★★★★ 4

Runs today5 / 5
Design today3 / 5
See the checks

Steam user reviews Very Positive

342,150 reviews89% positive
Steam store page

Get it on Steam

Released: 2016
Developer: Paradox Development Studio
Genre: Simulation, Strategy
Time to beat: About 52 hours for the main story HowLongToBeat
Runs on: Windows, macOS, Linux, Steam Deck
Last checked: October 31, 2026

Does Hearts of Iron IV run on Windows 11, Apple Silicon Macs, Linux and Steam Deck?

Windows 11	✓Sold for Windows today, no problem on record. Source
Mac (Apple Silicon)	✓Runs on Apple Silicon. Source
Linux	✓Native Linux version. Source
Steam Deck	✓Playable, as rated by Valve. May need some setup. Source

Played it lately? Press Works for me or Doesn’t work on your platform, so the next player knows. One click, no account. How we check where it runs

Synopsis

A grand strategy game from Paradox set from 1936 through World War II, in which the player leads any nation on a real-time, pausable world map. Players manage industry, research, politics and diplomacy, design army divisions and draw battle plans for land, sea and air forces, and history can play out faithfully or very differently.

What people say

Critics at release praised its depth, scale and freedom to rewrite the war, with several calling it more approachable than earlier entries, though the AI and the steep learning curve drew criticism. Paradox has supported it for years, and players still sink hundreds of hours into it, often with multiplayer and mods. The most common complaints today are the cost of the many DLC packs and features locked behind them, a weak tutorial, overwhelming menus and heavy slowdown in the late game.

Playability today

The average of two parts, each from 1 to 5. Tap a check to see why. How it works

Runs today

5 / 5

✓Sold or given away today by an official source
✓Runs on Windows 11 without fan patches
✓All of its content still works (servers, DLC, unlocks)
PCGamingWiki records no shut-down servers or lost content (PCGamingWiki).
✓Supports modern resolutions and widescreen
Native widescreen and modern resolutions (PCGamingWiki).
✓Steam Deck Verified or Playable
✓No intrusive DRM or required third-party launcher account
✓No pay-to-win or pushy microtransactions
✓No known game-breaking bugs in the current version
The open issues PCGamingWiki lists are minor and do not stop play (PCGamingWiki).

2 checks not confirmed yet

Single-player works without an internet connection
Full controller support or remappable controls

From the Steam store, Valve’s Steam Deck rating and the sources under each check. Checks not confirmed yet don’t count.

Design today

3 / 5

✓Controls feel natural on a modern controller or mouse and keyboard
Mouse and keyboard control with pause and speed hotkeys suits a map strategy game, though there is no controller support. Source: pcgamingwiki.com.
✗Menus, text or interface are hard to read on today's screens
The UI does not scale with resolution beyond an experimental setting, and the dense menus overwhelm new players. Source: pcgamingwiki.com.
✓Saving is fair: free saves or frequent checkpoints, little lost progress
Saving is allowed at any moment with Steam Cloud sync, and no source reports lost progress. Source: pcgamingwiki.com.
✗Hard to make progress without a guide
The built-in tutorial is widely called inadequate, and many players need outside guides and dozens of hours to learn the basics. Source: applegamingwiki.com.
✗Pacing drags: grind, filler or forced backtracking
Players report long waits for factories and research early on and heavy slowdown after about 1943, which can make the late game drag. Source: pcgamingwiki.com.
✓Camera and movement never fight the player
The world map pans and zooms freely with the mouse and draws no complaints. Source: pcgamingwiki.com.