"Frostpunk 1886 Remake Set for 2027, Devs to Update Frostpunk 2 Continuously"

11 bit studios has exciting news for fans of the Frostpunk series: they've announced Frostpunk 1886, a highly anticipated remake of the original game, slated for release in 2027. This announcement comes just over six months after the launch of Frostpunk 2, showcasing the studio's commitment to expanding the beloved franchise. With the first Frostpunk having been released in 2018, this remake will mark nearly a decade since its initial debut.

Frostpunk is a unique city-building survival video game set in an alternate late 19th-century world. Players are tasked with constructing and managing a city during a global volcanic winter, balancing resources, making tough survival decisions, and exploring the surrounding areas for survivors and essential supplies.

IGN's review of the original Frostpunk awarded it a commendable 9/10, praising its blend of thematic ideas and gameplay mechanics, stating: "Frostpunk deftly mixes a variety of thematic ideas and gameplay elements into an engaging and unique, if occasionally unintuitive, strategy game." Frostpunk 2, while still well-received, scored an 8/10, with IGN noting: "Thanks to a ground-up rethinking of its ice-age city builder mechanics, Frostpunk 2's larger scale is less intimate but more socially and politically complex than the original."

Despite the focus on the new remake, 11 bit studios assures fans that Frostpunk 2 will continue to receive updates, including free major content updates, a console launch, and additional DLCs. The studio has shifted from its proprietary Liquid Engine, which powered both Frostpunk and This War of Mine, to the more advanced Unreal Engine 5 for Frostpunk 1886. This change aims to provide a robust foundation for the game's future development.

11 bit studios emphasized that Frostpunk 1886 is not just a visual upgrade but a significant expansion of the original game. It will introduce new content, mechanics, laws, and an entirely new "Purpose path," offering a fresh experience even for seasoned players. The use of Unreal Engine 5 also enables the inclusion of long-awaited mod support and the potential for future DLC content, making Frostpunk 1886 a living, expandable platform.

The studio envisions a future where both Frostpunk 2 and Frostpunk 1886 evolve in tandem, each offering unique paths through the harsh, morally challenging world of survival in unrelenting cold. Additionally, 11 bit studios is also working on another project, The Alters, set to be released in June.