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2018’s Frostpunk was one of the most brutal RTS games ever created. With players not only needing to manage their resources, population, and of course, the extreme cold, they also had to deal with uprisings and strikes.
Frostpunk 2, developed and produced by 11 Bit Studios, takes tense gameplay to the next level.
With new resources to harvest and more challenges than ever before, brace yourself for a challenging game that took the idea of chilled-out gaming and flipped it on its head.
What is Frostpunk 2?
Frostpunk 2 is the sequel to 2018’s RTS hit Frostpunk, a fairly brutal city-builder/RTS game centered around a post-apocalyptic theme, where the world has been engulfed by a frozen storm.
Resource management is often one of the hardest aspects of RTS games, but when you’re dealing with a fozen land, a freezing population, politics, and also potential uprisings, Frostpunk 2 is one of the most challenging strategy games ever released.
As well as having to deal with the challenges listed above, Frostpunk also throws illness, starvation, and worst of all, whiteouts at you too.
When Does Frostpunk 2 Come Out?
Release Date: September 20, 2024
The Frostpunk 2 release date is September 20, 2024, Although some lucky players have managed to get an invite to the closed beta for the Delexue Edition, released on September 17, 2024
If you’re keen to play Frostpunk 2 before the official release date, you can choose the Delexue Edition, which offers 72 hour early access, letting you play before the game goes live for players with the standard edition.
The Frostpunk 2 release date is the same for PC and console, so console gamers can enjoy the game on the same day as the official PC release.
Frostpunk 2: Platforms & Consoles
PC, PS5 & Xbox Series X|S
Frostpunk 2 will be available on PC, Xbox Series X|S and PS5.
The good news for Xbox gamers is that Frostpunk 2 will be available from day one on the Xbox Game Pass, letting you play the standard edition of the game for free, as long as you have an active Game Pass subscription.
If you prefer to play RTS games on PC (as you should!), you can choose between Steam or Epic Games, with no difference between the two, other than your own personal preference.
Considering Frostpunk 2 has been designed for both PC and console, it seems highly likely that the game will be Steamdeck verified, and work well with other portable PCs, such as the ASUS Ally ROG.
While it doesn’t officially state it’s Steam Deck verified on the Steam Store page, many players did report testing the game on their Steam Deck during the closed beta, and reported that the game “played beautifully” on their device.
Will Frostpunk 2 Be Multiplayer?
Although many city-builders and RTS games have been working on co-op modes these days, Frostpunk 2 will not be among them.
Although, considering how challenging Frostpunk 2 will be and the choices that have to be made in the game, keeping it as a single-player experience seems to be the best option possible.
There has been no mention of any plans to bring co-op or multiplayer to Frostpunk 2, which means it will most likely stay a single-player experience, just like the first Frostpunk game.
Frostpunk 2 Trailers
The first Frostpunk 2 trailer was released back in 2021 as an official announcement trailer. While it was exciting to see news of one of my favorite RTS games getting a sequel, the trailer offered very little other than an awesome cinematic.
Frostpunk 2 Announcement Trailer
It wasn’t until the start of 2024 until we got to see even a glimpse of gameplay, thanks to 11 Bit Studios’s gameplay trailer.
Frostpunk 2 | Official Gameplay Trailer
The Frostpunk 2 gameplay trailer shows us a new way of building homes, new transportation, new challenges, and what seems to be a much larger area to work build in.
Being the governor in a frozen city was hard enough in the original Frostpunk, but it’s clear that Frostpunk 2 is going to focus on giving more of a voice to the people within your city, leaving you to juggle resources, warmth, expeditions, and all while keeping your citizen’s demands met, or facing their wrath.
Considering we’re drawing closer to Frostpunk 2’s release date, it’s unlikely that we will see many more trailers released between now and the game’s official release date in Septemeber.
Why Fans Are Excited
While many city-building and RTS games have focused on simplifying their games over the years, Frostpunk took things in the other direction, creating a challenging game where players have to manage multiple roles at once, which becomes increasingly difficult as the game progresses.
This time, Frostpunk 2 has made everything bigger and better. Instead of placing individual buildings, players can create entire districts.
Politics will also take center stage in Frostpunk 2, meaning every choice you make can have rewarding — or devastating — consequences for you and or your city.
Speaking of politics, one of the most intriguing new features in Frostpunk 2, which has many fans excited, is the new council system.
Instead of simply passing laws, as you would in Frostpunk, now players must secure a majority vote before a law can be passed, adding further challenges to the game.
Frostpunk 2 Price
$44.99 for Standard Edition, $74.99 for Deluxe Edition
Frostpunk 2 includes both a standard, and deluxe edition.
Standard Edition – $44.99
- Base game
Deluxe Edition – $74.99
- Base game
- 72 Hour early access
- 3 Future DLCs
- Additional content
Of course, if you own an Xbox Series X|S you can choose to play as part of your Xbox Game Pass subscription, however, this will be the standard edition and will not include any additional content or early access.
The Bottom Line
Frostpunk 2 takes the game in a new yet equally challenging direction. In this game, players must focus on working with and pleasing their city’s population rather than resource management.
While players will still have to battle the elements, focusing on human nature over nature itself should be enough to separate itself from the first game and offer players an exciting new challenge, making it worth jumping back into the world of Frostpunk for a second helping of chilled dessert.
