Frostpunk 1886 Remake Set for 2027, Dev Promises Updates for Frostpunk 2

11 bit studios has unveiled Frostpunk 1886, a highly anticipated remake of the original Frostpunk game, set to launch in 2027. This announcement comes just over six months following the release of Frostpunk 2. With the initial Frostpunk having debuted in 2018, the upcoming remake will mark nearly a decade since the series' inception.

For this ambitious project, the Polish developer is harnessing the power of Unreal Engine 5. Frostpunk is renowned for its city-building survival gameplay, set against the backdrop of an alternate history in the late 19th century. Players are tasked with constructing and sustaining a city amid a global volcanic winter, managing scarce resources, making tough survival decisions, and venturing beyond their city's limits to find survivors, resources, and other essential items.

IGN's review of the original Frostpunk awarded it a stellar 9/10, praising it as an “engaging and unique, if occasionally unintuitive, strategy game” that skillfully blends various thematic and gameplay elements. Meanwhile, Frostpunk 2 received an 8/10 from IGN, noted for its “larger scale [that] is less intimate but more socially and politically complex than the original,” thanks to a comprehensive rethinking of its mechanics.

11 bit studios has confirmed ongoing support for Frostpunk 2 with planned DLC and a console launch, while simultaneously pushing forward with Frostpunk 1886. The studio's proprietary Liquid Engine, which powered both Frostpunk and This War of Mine, is no longer in development, leading the team to seek a new engine to uphold the legacy of the first game.

According to 11 bit, "Frostpunk 1886 — named to honor a pivotal moment in the universe's timeline, the Great Storm's descent upon New London — transcends a simple visual upgrade. It builds upon the core of the original with new content, mechanics, laws, and an entirely new Purpose path, promising a fresh experience even for veteran players. The transition to Unreal Engine facilitates the game's evolution into a living, expandable platform, enabling long-awaited mod support and the potential for future DLC content."

The studio envisions a future where both Frostpunk 2 and Frostpunk 1886 will develop concurrently, offering fans "two paths forged in parallel, each carrying the vision of survival into unrelenting cold." In addition to these projects, 11 bit studios is preparing to release The Alters in June.