Brace yourself for another cold winter. 11 Bit Studios has just announced (via Gematsu) that Frostpunk 2 is currently in development for PC and will be released on all major storefronts: Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG. However, the company hasn’t yet revealed a release date since the game is still pretty early in development.
Taking place 30 years after the apocalyptic blizzard storm in the first game, the Earth is still overwhelmed by the icy climate of never-ending frost and harsh weather. After coal paved the way for slow, but steady progress for expansion, a search for new power sources is inevitable. This time the oil extraction industry is expected to be the new salvation of the Frostland. But not everyone will welcome this new direction with open arms.
Frostpunk 2 co-director Jakub Stokalski believes that he and his team can do more than just releasing a “straight-up sequel”, and players should expect more conflicts than just survival needs against human values:
What we aim to deliver to players is an experience that goes vastly beyond that of the original Frostpunk. With a still-growing team of nearly 70 people, we have more manpower available to focus on all aspects of the game from the scale, the production value, and the quality of user experience, but our ambition is to do more than a straight-up sequel.
What players should expect is a wide universe of choices, the freedom to shape the society and the city however they see fit—and reap the consequences. Frostpunk 2 builds on the conflicts of its predecessor—survival vs human values, life versus the arctic frost. But most importantly, it adds a new layer that is present in many aspects of the game—be it politics, society, or technological progress—the conflict between humans and their nature.”
Speaking to PC Gamer, Stokalski added that Frostpunk 2 is definitely going to be a much bigger game than the original, both in size and theme. And while he can’t say much about how oil will shape the Frostpunk 2 society this time, the team will still make resources the big actor and explore more about human nature. What do you think about this announcement? Share your thoughts and hopes in the comments and stay tuned at The Nerd Stash for more nerd and gaming updates.