BZFlag (an abbreviation for Battle Zone capture the Flag) is an online multiplayer free and open-source tank game. In the game of BZFlag, players drive around tanks, viewed from a first-person view, in a server-defined world (also known as a "map"), which can be modified.
Inspired by Battlezone, BZFlag was first written in C by Chris Schoeneman in 1992 as a part of his studies at Cornell University. BZFlag was initially called "BZ" and despite its similarity to the SGI game of the same title by Chris Fouts, the games are completely independent of each other.
In 1993, BZFlag was released to the public for the first time. This release took a new turn compared to older versions after a cheater, who edited the source code of his client to give himself powers that do not come from official releases, inspired Schoeneman and Pasetto to add "super-flags." Super flags affect a tank's performance by adding abilities or weapons to its arsenal. The first four flags were High Speed (boosted tank speed), Quick Turn (tank turned faster), Rapid Fire (shots moved faster), and Oscillation Overthruster (tank could go through objects). There was only one of each flag, and each flag was marked with its type. Soon after, bad and good flags were added and remain part of gameplay today, only without markers, so that the flag type is unknown to the player until it is picked up (unless the player is c
What is BZFlag?
BZFlag by BZFlag is open-source Windows software in the pc games category. It is written in C++. Besides Windows, it is available for Linux and macOS.
Installation and requirements
The publisher provides EXE (NSIS) installers for 32-bit Windows. The main installer is 24.3 MB. Installation asks for administrator rights. A silent install is possible with the installer’s documented switches.
Updates and version history
The current version is 2.4.30, released on March 16, 2025. The version history goes back to March 30, 2021: 6 releases, all linked to the official files. That is about 1.5 releases a year. The last update is more than a year old.
Popularity and file types
The Chocolatey package has been downloaded 1,777 times. Wikipedia has an article about it in 9 of our languages. Similar programs include OpenTTD, RetroArch and Steam.
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Documented silent install
- Also runs on Linux and macOS
Cons
- No native ARM64 build
- 32-bit only
- Installation needs administrator rights
- No update for more than a year
In short: BZFlag is an open-source pc game tool for 32-bit PCs. Updates have slowed down. Administrators can deploy it unattended.
Screenshots
Is BZFlag safe to download?
- The file is served by download.bzflag.org, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
FFAED59ED35902ED50959A0C21EAB2A68144D02427C0E1CD7EE07EB47C758999· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link answered when we last checked it (October 22, 2026)
- The source code is public
- ExeAtlas does not host, wrap or modify installers
Related guide: How to check a file’s SHA256 hash on Windows
Recent versions
All 6 versions ›6 versions over 4 years · about 1.5 a year
| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4.30Latest | March 16, 2025 | 24.3 MB | 32-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 2.4.28 | February 25, 2025 | 24.3 MB | 32-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 2.4.26 | November 20, 2022 | 24.2 MB | 32-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 2.4.24 | April 5, 2022 | 24.1 MB | 32-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 2.4.22 | March 30, 2021 | 24.1 MB | 32-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 2.4.20 | March 30, 2021 | 24.1 MB | 32-bit EXE (NSIS) |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id BZFlag.BZFlag -echoco install bzflag -ybzflag-2.4.30.exe /SRelated guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Also for other systems
brew install --cask bzflagflatpak install flathub org.bzflag.BZFlagInformation
- Publisher
- BZFlag
- Category
- PC games
- Licence
- MPL-2.0
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com
- Written in
- C++
- Content rating
- 13+
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 32-bit
- Installer
- EXE (NSIS)
- Other platforms
- Linux, macOS
- Version
- 2.4.30
- Released
- March 16, 2025
- Added to the catalogue
- March 30, 2021
- Versions listed
- 6
- Updates / year
- 1.5
- Chocolatey downloads
- 1,777
- Website
- bzflag.org
- winget ID
- BZFlag.BZFlag
- Chocolatey package
- bzflag
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
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Frequently asked questions
Is BZFlag free?
Yes. BZFlag is open-source software under the MPL-2.0 licence.
Is BZFlag safe to download?
The download comes from download.bzflag.org, which belongs to the publisher; ExeAtlas does not host or change the file. Compare its SHA256 hash with the one shown here, or open the VirusTotal report for that hash.
How do I install BZFlag with winget?
Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the winget command shown on this page. winget downloads the official installer and checks its SHA256 hash before running it.
Can BZFlag be installed silently?
Yes. The silent install page lists the exact command for each installer.
Does BZFlag run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
There is no ARM64 build; Windows 11 on Arm can run the 32-bit version through emulation.
Where can I download an older version of BZFlag?
The versions page lists all 6 versions with links to their official installer files, back to March 30, 2021.
What are alternatives to BZFlag?
OpenTTD, RetroArch, Steam, Celestia and PPSSPP. The alternatives page compares them.
