VASSAL is a game engine for building and playing online adaptations of board games and card games
Publisher’s description
What is VASSAL?
VASSAL by vassalengine.org is open-source Windows software in the pc games category. It is written in Java. Besides Windows, it is available for Linux.
Installation and requirements
The publisher provides EXE (NSIS) installers for 64-bit, ARM64 and 32-bit Windows. Installation asks for administrator rights. A silent install is possible with the installer’s documented switches.
Updates and version history
The current version is 3.7.18, released on September 23, 2025. The version history goes back to September 19, 2021: 31 releases, all linked to the official files. That is about 7.7 releases a year. The last update is more than a year old.
Popularity and file types
The Chocolatey package has been downloaded 1,128 times. The source code on GitHub (vassalengine/vassal) has 641 stars. Similar programs include RetroArch, OpenTTD and Steam.
Project description on GitHub: “VASSAL, the open-source boardgame engine”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Native ARM64 build for Windows on Arm
- Documented silent install
- Frequent updates (about 7.7 a year)
- Also runs on Linux
Cons
- Installation needs administrator rights
- No update for more than a year
In short: VASSAL is an open-source pc game tool for 64-bit, ARM64 and 32-bit PCs. It is actively maintained. Administrators can deploy it unattended.
Is VASSAL safe to download?
- The file is served by github.com, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
F5E61BC1D64C56C0B4812CCE80CF8DFDEBB1E89DCEE8CEF106D91EFC0DCFA551· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link has not been checked yet
- 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 31 versions ›31 versions over 4 years · about 7.7 a year
| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.7.18Latest | September 23, 2025 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS)32-bit EXE (NSIS)ARM64 EXE (NSIS) |
| 3.7.17 | September 17, 2025 | — | ARM64 EXE (NSIS)32-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 3.7.16 | April 5, 2025 | — | 32-bit EXE (NSIS)ARM64 EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 3.7.15 | November 7, 2024 | — | 32-bit EXE (NSIS)ARM64 EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 3.7.14 | August 18, 2024 | — | ARM64 EXE (NSIS)32-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 3.7.13 | July 25, 2024 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS)32-bit EXE (NSIS)ARM64 EXE (NSIS) |
| 3.7.12 | May 4, 2024 | — | ARM64 EXE (NSIS)32-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 3.7.10 | April 14, 2024 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS)32-bit EXE (NSIS)ARM64 EXE (NSIS) |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id vassalengine.VASSAL -echoco install vassal -yVASSAL-3.7.18-windows-x86_64.exe /SRelated guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Also for other systems
flatpak install flathub org.vassalengine.vassalInformation
- Publisher
- vassalengine.org
- Category
- PC games
- Licence
- LGPL-2.1
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/vassalengine/vassal
- Written in
- Java
- Content rating
- 13+
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit, ARM64, 32-bit
- Installer
- EXE (NSIS)
- Other platforms
- Linux
- Version
- 3.7.18
- Released
- September 23, 2025
- Added to the catalogue
- September 19, 2021
- Versions listed
- 31
- Updates / year
- 7.7
- Chocolatey downloads
- 1,128
- GitHub stars
- 641
- GitHub forks
- 137
- Website
- github.com
- winget ID
- vassalengine.VASSAL
- Chocolatey package
- vassal
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
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Frequently asked questions
Is VASSAL free?
Yes. VASSAL is open-source software under the LGPL-2.1 licence.
Is VASSAL safe to download?
The download comes from github.com, 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 VASSAL 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 VASSAL be installed silently?
Yes. The silent install page lists the exact command for each installer.
Does VASSAL run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
Yes, there is a native ARM64 installer.
Where can I download an older version of VASSAL?
The versions page lists all 31 versions with links to their official installer files, back to September 19, 2021.
What are alternatives to VASSAL?
RetroArch, OpenTTD, Steam, PPSSPP and ScummVM. The alternatives page compares them.
