11 bit studios has announced Frostpunk 1886 — a remake of the original on Unreal Engine 5 with new mechanics and changes in the underlying system. But it will bring new content.
It is interesting to know about a new game in the Frostpunk universe became known just a week ago — in the financial report, 11 bit studios mentioned a new project scheduled for release in 2027. Most people assumed that it would be Frostpunk 3, but no — a reimagining of the first part. Players are promised not just a visual update: there will be new mechanics, new laws, a new Purpose path, and full support for mods. The project «revises and expands» the original and offers «a fresh experience even for the most experienced players».
The game is called Frostpunk 1886 — a reference to the year 0 in the game’s universe, when the Great Frost began, leading to the collapse of civilization. This means that the events of the remake will take place at the very beginning of history, and the concept itself will have more elements of backstory.
The key innovation is the support for mods. In the original Frostpunk, it was technically impossible due to the use of the Liquid Engine, but the transition to Unreal Engine 5 opens up the possibility for the game to become a «living, extensible platform», as the studio says. This should also simplify the creation of DLC and speed up their releases.
In Frostpunk 1886, the survival mechanics, difficult moral choices, and atmosphere will remain, but players will get a new type of gameplay. The project does not replace Frostpunk 2, which was released in 2024 but will develop in parallel. As they say in the studio, it’s «two paths laid in parallel, each of which carries a vision of survival in the relentless cold». At the same time, they presented the announcement trailer.
Despite the launch of the new project, Frostpunk 2 has not been abandoned: the studio is preparing updates, DLC with new mechanics, and console versions for it — the release on Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 is scheduled for 2025.
Initially, many assumed that 11 bit studios would release Frostpunk 3 — the first part was very successful, and the second part was a little less so. Therefore, it was assumed that the third part would consolidate the success. However, the studio decided to do something different after it ended 2024 with lower profits. In particular, the weak sales of The Thaumaturge and Creatures of Ava affected the studio, and as a result, it cut the upcoming Project 8 project. Still, there are several new releases ahead, including sci-fi adventure The Alters (June 2025), Moonlighter 2 and the souls-like card game The Outer Zone: Death Howl. At the same time, the studio has started developing a larger game, which is scheduled for release in 2029.
It seems that the bet on the proven first part of Frostpunk — is an attempt to stabilize finances. The first part of Frostpunk was a hit, the second one has good results so far, and the third (i.e. 1886) is a chance to consolidate the success and at the same time attract the modding community.
Source: PC Gamer
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