diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
index 254c0db..73a8baa 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ name: SporeModLoader
 on: [push, pull_request]
 
 jobs:
-  build:
+  msvc-build:
     runs-on: windows-2022
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
@@ -50,6 +50,14 @@ jobs:
         with:
           name: SporeModLoader-${{ env.GIT_REVISION }}
           path: bin/*
+      # the modapi dlls cannot be compiled using mingw
+      # due to needing to keep ABI compatability with
+      # existing mods compiled with msvc
+      - name: Upload SporeModLoader (for mingw)
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
+        with:
+          name: SporeModLoader-mingw-${{ env.GIT_REVISION }}
+          path: bin/*
   linux-build:
     runs-on: ubuntu-20.04
     steps:
@@ -61,9 +69,32 @@ jobs:
           echo "GIT_REVISION=$(git describe --tags --always)" >> $GITHUB_ENV
       - name: Build SporeModManager (Linux)
         run: |
-          make BINARY_DIR=bin/SporeModLoader/SporeModManager -j$(nproc)
+          make SporeModManager -j$(nproc)
       - name: Upload SporeModLoader (Linux)
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
         with:
           name: SporeModLoader-${{ env.GIT_REVISION }}
           path: bin/*
+  mingw-build:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-20.04
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          submodules: 'true'
+      - name: Install Packages
+        run: |
+          sudo apt-get -y install gcc-mingw-w64-i686 g++-mingw-w64-i686
+      - name: Prepare Environment
+        run: |
+          echo "GIT_REVISION=$(git describe --tags --always)" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+      - name: Build SporeModLoader (mingw)
+        run: |
+          make SporeModLoader -j$(nproc)
+      - name: Build SporeModManager (mingw)
+        run: |
+          make SporeModManager.exe -j$(nproc)
+      - name: Upload SporeModLoader (mingw)
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
+        with:
+          name: SporeModLoader-mingw-${{ env.GIT_REVISION }}
+          path: bin/*
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index c973453..20750a9 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,85 +1,30 @@
 #
 # SporeModManager Makefile
 #
-THIRDPARTY_DIR := 3rdParty
-BINARY_DIR     := bin
-SOURCE_DIR     := SporeModManager
-EXE_FILE       := SporeModManager
-VERBOSE        := 0
+SOURCE_DIR     := $(CURDIR)
+THIRDPARTY_DIR := $(SOURCE_DIR)/3rdParty
 
-PKG_CONFIG := pkg-config
 CC         := gcc
 CXX        := g++
-CFLAGS     := \
-				-I$(THIRDPARTY_DIR)/zlib     \
-				-I$(THIRDPARTY_DIR)/zlib/contrib/minizip
-CXXFLAGS   := -std=c++17                     \
-				-I$(SOURCE_DIR)              \
-				-I$(THIRDPARTY_DIR)/tinyxml2 \
-				-I$(THIRDPARTY_DIR)/zlib     \
-				-I$(THIRDPARTY_DIR)/zlib/contrib/minizip
-OPTFLAGS   := -Os -flto
-LDFLAGS    := -flto -s
+MINGW_CC   := i686-w64-mingw32-gcc
+MINGW_CXX  := i686-w64-mingw32-g++
 
-OBJECT_FILES := \
-	$(SOURCE_DIR)/SporeModManagerHelpers/FileVersion.o \
-	$(SOURCE_DIR)/SporeModManagerHelpers/Path.o        \
-	$(SOURCE_DIR)/SporeModManagerHelpers/SporeMod.o    \
-	$(SOURCE_DIR)/SporeModManagerHelpers/SporeModXml.o \
-	$(SOURCE_DIR)/SporeModManagerHelpers/String.o      \
-	$(SOURCE_DIR)/SporeModManagerHelpers/UI.o          \
-	$(SOURCE_DIR)/SporeModManagerHelpers/Zip.o         \
-	$(SOURCE_DIR)/SporeModManager.o                    \
-	$(SOURCE_DIR)/main.o
+export THIRDPARTY_DIR CC CXX MINGW_CC MINGW_CXX
 
-HEADER_FILES := \
-	$(SOURCE_DIR)/SporeModManager.hpp \
-	$(SOURCE_DIR)/SporeModManagerHelpers.hpp
+all: SporeModLoader SporeModManager SporeModManager.exe
 
+clean:
+	$(MAKE) -C SporeModLoader clean BINARY_DIR=$(SOURCE_DIR)/bin/SporebinEP1
+	$(MAKE) -C SporeModManager clean BINARY_DIR=$(SOURCE_DIR)/bin/SporeModLoader/SporeModManager
+	$(MAKE) -C SporeModManager clean MINGW=1 BINARY_DIR=$(SOURCE_DIR)/bin/SporeModLoader/SporeModManager
 
-THIRDPARTY_OBJECT_FILES := \
-	$(THIRDPARTY_DIR)/tinyxml2/tinyxml2.o \
-	$(THIRDPARTY_DIR)/zlib/adler32.o  \
-	$(THIRDPARTY_DIR)/zlib/crc32.o    \
-	$(THIRDPARTY_DIR)/zlib/inflate.o  \
-	$(THIRDPARTY_DIR)/zlib/inffast.o  \
-	$(THIRDPARTY_DIR)/zlib/inftrees.o \
-	$(THIRDPARTY_DIR)/zlib/zutil.o    \
-	$(THIRDPARTY_DIR)/zlib/contrib/minizip/unzip.o \
-	$(THIRDPARTY_DIR)/zlib/contrib/minizip/ioapi.o
-
-THIRDPARTY_HEADER_FILES := \
-	$(THIRDPARTY_DIR)/zlib/zconf.h
-
-
-ifeq ($(VERBOSE), 0)
-	QUIET := @
-else
-	QUIET :=
-endif
-
-%.o: %.c $(THIRDPARTY_HEADER_FILES)
-	@echo "CC  $<"
-	$(QUIET)$(CC) -c $< -o $@ $(OPTFLAGS) $(CFLAGS)
-
-%.o: %.cpp $(HEADER_FILES) $(THIRDPARTY_HEADER_FILES)
-	@echo "CXX $<"
-	$(QUIET)$(CXX) -c $< -o $@ $(OPTFLAGS) $(CXXFLAGS)
-
-all: $(BINARY_DIR)/$(EXE_FILE)
-
-$(BINARY_DIR):
-	$(QUIET)mkdir -p $@
-
-$(THIRDPARTY_DIR)/zlib/zconf.h:
-	@echo "GEN $@"
-	$(QUIET)cp $@.in $@
+SporeModLoader:
+	$(MAKE) -C $@ SOURCE_DIR=$(SOURCE_DIR)/$@ BINARY_DIR=$(SOURCE_DIR)/bin/SporebinEP1
 
-$(BINARY_DIR)/$(EXE_FILE): $(BINARY_DIR) $(THIRDPARTY_OBJECT_FILES) $(OBJECT_FILES)
-	@echo "LD  $@"
-	$(QUIET)$(CXX) $(OBJECT_FILES) $(THIRDPARTY_OBJECT_FILES) -o $@ $(LDFLAGS)
+SporeModManager:
+	$(MAKE) -C $@ SOURCE_DIR=$(SOURCE_DIR)/$@ BINARY_DIR=$(SOURCE_DIR)/bin/SporeModLoader/SporeModManager
 
-clean:
-	rm -f $(BINARY_DIR)/$(EXE_FILE) $(OBJECT_FILES) $(THIRDPARTY_OBJECT_FILES) $(THIRDPARTY_HEADER_FILES)
+SporeModManager.exe:
+	$(MAKE) -C $(basename $@) SOURCE_DIR=$(SOURCE_DIR)/$(basename $@) BINARY_DIR=$(SOURCE_DIR)/bin/SporeModLoader/SporeModManager MINGW=1
 
-.PHONY: all clean
+.PHONY: SporeModLoader SporeModManager SporeModManager.exe all clean
diff --git a/SporeModLoader/Makefile b/SporeModLoader/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..999ec21
--- /dev/null
+++ b/SporeModLoader/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+#
+# SporeModLoader Makefile
+#
+THIRDPARTY_DIR ?= ../3rdParty
+BINARY_DIR     ?= bin
+SOURCE_DIR     ?= .
+DLL_FILE       ?= dinput8.dll
+VERBOSE        ?= 0
+
+MINGW_CXX  ?= i686-w64-mingw32-g++
+CXXFLAGS   := -std=c++17                     \
+				-I$(SOURCE_DIR)              \
+				-I$(THIRDPARTY_DIR)/Detours/src \
+				-Wno-attributes -Wp,-w
+OPTFLAGS   := -Os -flto
+LDFLAGS    := -s -flto
+
+OBJECT_FILES := \
+	$(SOURCE_DIR)/SporeModLoaderHelpers.obj \
+	$(SOURCE_DIR)/SporeModLoader.obj \
+	$(SOURCE_DIR)/dllmain.obj
+
+HEADER_FILES := \
+	$(SOURCE_DIR)/SporeModLoaderHelpers.hpp \
+	$(SOURCE_DIR)/SporeModLoader.hpp
+
+THIRDPARTY_OBJECT_FILES := \
+	$(THIRDPARTY_DIR)/Detours/src/detours.obj  \
+	$(THIRDPARTY_DIR)/Detours/src/modules.obj  \
+	$(THIRDPARTY_DIR)/Detours/src/disasm.obj   \
+	$(THIRDPARTY_DIR)/Detours/src/image.obj    \
+	$(THIRDPARTY_DIR)/Detours/src/creatwth.obj \
+	$(THIRDPARTY_DIR)/Detours/src/disolx86.obj
+
+ifeq ($(VERBOSE), 0)
+	QUIET := @
+else
+	QUIET :=
+endif
+
+%.obj: %.cpp $(HEADER_FILES)
+	@echo "MINGW_CXX $<"
+	$(QUIET)$(MINGW_CXX) -c $< -o $@ $(OPTFLAGS) $(CXXFLAGS)
+
+all: $(BINARY_DIR)/$(DLL_FILE)
+
+$(BINARY_DIR):
+	$(QUIET)mkdir -p $@
+
+$(BINARY_DIR)/$(DLL_FILE): $(BINARY_DIR) $(THIRDPARTY_OBJECT_FILES) $(OBJECT_FILES)
+	@echo "MINGW_LD  $@"
+	$(QUIET)$(MINGW_CXX) $(THIRDPARTY_OBJECT_FILES) $(OBJECT_FILES) -static -shared $(SOURCE_DIR)/dllmain.def -o $@ $(LDFLAGS)
+
+clean:
+	rm -f $(BINARY_DIR)/$(DLL_FILE) $(OBJECT_FILES) $(THIRDPARTY_OBJECT_FILES) $(THIRDPARTY_HEADER_FILES)
+
+.PHONY: all clean
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/SporeModLoader/SporeModLoader.cpp b/SporeModLoader/SporeModLoader.cpp
index 6e05d5c..e2ec859 100644
--- a/SporeModLoader/SporeModLoader.cpp
+++ b/SporeModLoader/SporeModLoader.cpp
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
  *  You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
  *  along with this program. If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
  */
-#include <Windows.h>
+#include <windows.h>
 
 #include "SporeModLoader.hpp"
 #include "SporeModLoaderHelpers.hpp"
diff --git a/SporeModLoader/SporeModLoaderHelpers.cpp b/SporeModLoader/SporeModLoaderHelpers.cpp
index 996c056..5ccaf0e 100644
--- a/SporeModLoader/SporeModLoaderHelpers.cpp
+++ b/SporeModLoader/SporeModLoaderHelpers.cpp
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
  *  You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
  *  along with this program. If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
  */
-#include <Windows.h>
+#include <windows.h>
 
 #include <fstream>
 
@@ -145,7 +145,8 @@ std::vector<std::filesystem::path> Path::GetModLibsPaths(void)
         std::wstring filename = entry.path().filename().wstring();
         for (const auto& postfix : excludePostfixes)
         {
-            if (filename.ends_with(postfix))
+            // HACK: TODO: rewrite ends_with in C++17
+            if (filename.find(postfix) != std::wstring::npos)
             {
                 skipLib = true;
                 break;
diff --git a/SporeModLoader/dllmain.cpp b/SporeModLoader/dllmain.cpp
index 3bc4c5b..dae9b59 100644
--- a/SporeModLoader/dllmain.cpp
+++ b/SporeModLoader/dllmain.cpp
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
  *  You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
  *  along with this program. If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
  */
-#include <Windows.h>
+#include <windows.h>
 #include "detours.h"
 
 #include "SporeModLoader.hpp"
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ static int SporeAppEntry_detoured(void)
 
 // The game calls this function but ignores the result,
 // so just return E_FAIL.
-HRESULT WINAPI DirectInput8Create(HINSTANCE hinst, DWORD dwVersion, REFIID riidltf, LPVOID* ppvOut, LPUNKNOWN punkOuter)
+extern "C" HRESULT WINAPI DirectInput8Create(HINSTANCE hinst, DWORD dwVersion, REFIID riidltf, LPVOID* ppvOut, LPUNKNOWN punkOuter)
 {
     return E_FAIL;
 }
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ BOOL WINAPI DllMain(HINSTANCE hinst, DWORD dwReason, LPVOID reserved)
         }
         DetourTransactionBegin();
         DetourUpdateThread(GetCurrentThread());
-        DetourAttach(&(PVOID&)SporeAppEntry_real, SporeAppEntry_detoured);
+        DetourAttach(&(PVOID&)SporeAppEntry_real, (PVOID)SporeAppEntry_detoured);
         DetourTransactionCommit();
     }
     else if (dwReason == DLL_PROCESS_DETACH)
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ BOOL WINAPI DllMain(HINSTANCE hinst, DWORD dwReason, LPVOID reserved)
         DetourUpdateThread(GetCurrentThread());
         if (SporeAppEntry_real != nullptr)
         {
-            DetourDetach(&(PVOID&)SporeAppEntry_real, SporeAppEntry_detoured);
+            DetourDetach(&(PVOID&)SporeAppEntry_real, (PVOID)SporeAppEntry_detoured);
         }
         DetourTransactionCommit();
     }
diff --git a/SporeModManager/Makefile b/SporeModManager/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..519654e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/SporeModManager/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,111 @@
+#
+# SporeModManager Makefile
+#
+THIRDPARTY_DIR ?= ../3rdParty
+BINARY_DIR     ?= bin
+SOURCE_DIR     ?= .
+EXE_FILE       ?= SporeModManager
+VERBOSE        ?= 0
+MINGW          ?= 0
+
+CC         ?= gcc
+CXX        ?= g++
+MINGW_CC   ?= i686-w64-mingw32-gcc
+MINGW_CXX  ?= i686-w64-mingw32-g++
+
+ifeq ($(MINGW), 0)
+LDFLAGS    := -flto -s
+OPTFLAGS   := -Os -flto
+OBJ        := o
+EXE_EXT    :=
+else
+# mingw doesn't like LTO
+# and we need to statically link
+LDFLAGS    := -s -municode -static
+OPTFLAGS   := -Os
+OBJ        := obj
+EXE_EXT    := .exe
+endif
+CFLAGS     := \
+				-I$(THIRDPARTY_DIR)/zlib     \
+				-I$(THIRDPARTY_DIR)/zlib/contrib/minizip
+CXXFLAGS   := -std=c++17                     \
+				-I$(SOURCE_DIR)              \
+				-I$(THIRDPARTY_DIR)/tinyxml2 \
+				-I$(THIRDPARTY_DIR)/zlib     \
+				-I$(THIRDPARTY_DIR)/zlib/contrib/minizip
+
+OBJECT_FILES := \
+	$(SOURCE_DIR)/SporeModManagerHelpers/FileVersion.$(OBJ) \
+	$(SOURCE_DIR)/SporeModManagerHelpers/Path.$(OBJ)        \
+	$(SOURCE_DIR)/SporeModManagerHelpers/SporeMod.$(OBJ)    \
+	$(SOURCE_DIR)/SporeModManagerHelpers/SporeModXml.$(OBJ) \
+	$(SOURCE_DIR)/SporeModManagerHelpers/String.$(OBJ)      \
+	$(SOURCE_DIR)/SporeModManagerHelpers/UI.$(OBJ)          \
+	$(SOURCE_DIR)/SporeModManagerHelpers/Zip.$(OBJ)         \
+	$(SOURCE_DIR)/SporeModManager.$(OBJ)                    \
+	$(SOURCE_DIR)/main.$(OBJ)
+
+HEADER_FILES := \
+	$(SOURCE_DIR)/SporeModManager.hpp \
+	$(SOURCE_DIR)/SporeModManagerHelpers.hpp
+
+
+THIRDPARTY_OBJECT_FILES := \
+	$(THIRDPARTY_DIR)/tinyxml2/tinyxml2.$(OBJ) \
+	$(THIRDPARTY_DIR)/zlib/adler32.$(OBJ)  \
+	$(THIRDPARTY_DIR)/zlib/crc32.$(OBJ)    \
+	$(THIRDPARTY_DIR)/zlib/inflate.$(OBJ)  \
+	$(THIRDPARTY_DIR)/zlib/inffast.$(OBJ)  \
+	$(THIRDPARTY_DIR)/zlib/inftrees.$(OBJ) \
+	$(THIRDPARTY_DIR)/zlib/zutil.$(OBJ)    \
+	$(THIRDPARTY_DIR)/zlib/contrib/minizip/unzip.$(OBJ) \
+	$(THIRDPARTY_DIR)/zlib/contrib/minizip/ioapi.$(OBJ)
+
+THIRDPARTY_HEADER_FILES := \
+	$(THIRDPARTY_DIR)/zlib/zconf.h
+
+
+ifeq ($(VERBOSE), 0)
+	QUIET := @
+else
+	QUIET :=
+endif
+
+%.o: %.c $(THIRDPARTY_HEADER_FILES)
+	@echo "CC  $<"
+	$(QUIET)$(CC) -c $< -o $@ $(OPTFLAGS) $(CFLAGS)
+
+%.o: %.cpp $(HEADER_FILES) $(THIRDPARTY_HEADER_FILES)
+	@echo "CXX $<"
+	$(QUIET)$(CXX) -c $< -o $@ $(OPTFLAGS) $(CXXFLAGS)
+
+%.obj: %.c $(THIRDPARTY_HEADER_FILES)
+	@echo "MINGW_CC  $<"
+	$(QUIET)$(MINGW_CC) -c $< -o $@ $(OPTFLAGS) $(CFLAGS)
+
+%.obj: %.cpp $(HEADER_FILES) $(THIRDPARTY_HEADER_FILES)
+	@echo "MINGW_CXX $<"
+	$(QUIET)$(MINGW_CXX) -c $< -o $@ $(OPTFLAGS) $(CXXFLAGS)
+
+all: $(BINARY_DIR)/$(EXE_FILE)$(EXE_EXT)
+
+$(BINARY_DIR):
+	$(QUIET)mkdir -p $@
+
+$(THIRDPARTY_DIR)/zlib/zconf.h:
+	@echo "GEN $@"
+	$(QUIET)cp -f $@.in $@
+
+$(BINARY_DIR)/$(EXE_FILE): $(BINARY_DIR) $(THIRDPARTY_OBJECT_FILES) $(OBJECT_FILES)
+	@echo "LD  $@"
+	$(QUIET)$(CXX) $(OBJECT_FILES) $(THIRDPARTY_OBJECT_FILES) -o $@ $(LDFLAGS)
+
+$(BINARY_DIR)/$(EXE_FILE).exe: $(BINARY_DIR) $(THIRDPARTY_OBJECT_FILES) $(OBJECT_FILES)
+	@echo "MINGW_LD  $@"
+	$(QUIET)$(MINGW_CXX) $(OBJECT_FILES) $(THIRDPARTY_OBJECT_FILES) -o $@ $(LDFLAGS)
+
+clean:
+	rm -f $(BINARY_DIR)/$(EXE_FILE)$(EXE_EXT) $(OBJECT_FILES) $(THIRDPARTY_OBJECT_FILES) $(THIRDPARTY_HEADER_FILES)
+
+.PHONY: all clean