11 bit studios has announced Frostpunk 1886, a highly anticipated remake of the original game set to launch in 2027. This exciting news comes just over half a year after the release of Frostpunk 2, and nearly a decade following the debut of the first Frostpunk in 2018.
For this ambitious project, the Polish developer is leveraging the power of Unreal Engine 5. This marks a significant shift from their proprietary Liquid Engine, which was used for both the original Frostpunk and This War of Mine. The move to Unreal Engine 5 not only promises stunning visuals but also aims to fulfill long-standing community requests for mod support and future expandability through DLCs.
Frostpunk is renowned for its unique blend of city-building and survival gameplay, set in an alternate late 19th-century world gripped by a volcanic winter. Players must construct and manage a city, make critical survival decisions, and explore the frozen landscape for resources and survivors.
IGN's review of the original Frostpunk awarded it a remarkable 9/10, praising its engaging mix of thematic ideas and gameplay elements. We noted, "Frostpunk deftly mixes a variety of thematic ideas and gameplay elements into an engaging and unique, if occasionally unintuitive, strategy game."
In contrast, Frostpunk 2 received an 8/10 from IGN. Our review highlighted its larger scale and increased social and political complexity, stating, "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."
11 bit studios has confirmed that Frostpunk 2 will continue to receive updates, including free major content updates, a console launch, and additional DLCs. Meanwhile, Frostpunk 1886 aims to return to the franchise's roots, honoring a pivotal moment in its universe's timeline known as the Great Storm in New London. This remake is not just a visual upgrade but will introduce new content, mechanics, laws, and an entirely new Purpose path, offering a fresh experience for both new and returning players.
The studio envisions a future where both Frostpunk 2 and Frostpunk 1886 evolve concurrently, each exploring different facets of survival in the harsh, unforgiving cold. Additionally, 11 bit studios is also working on another project, The Alters, slated for release in June.
