Mark your calendars and clear some shelf space in your survival strategy brain—11 bit studios just dropped the first trailer for Frostpunk 1886, and it’s looking icy in all the right ways. The announcement went live on the studio’s official YouTube channel on April 24, giving fans their first taste of a prequel that’s shaping up to be more than just a nostalgic throwback.
According to the game’s Steam page, Frostpunk 1886 will feature a single-player campaign set in a reimagined version of the original game’s world, but this time, players are dropped straight into the chaos of New London, 1886—the moment when it all began. It’s not just a retelling. This is a full rebuild on Unreal Engine, with upgraded tools and mechanics that give you more control over your frostbitten citizens than ever before.
No firm release date yet—just a ballpark: sometime in 2027. So yeah, it’s a bit of a wait. But if you’re a fan of the original game’s ruthless decision-making and moral gut punches, this one seems worth hanging around for.
The trailer didn’t include any gameplay footage, which, let’s be honest, is a bit of a tease. But what we do know is promising: new laws, expanded mechanics, and rich modding support, not to mention fresh tech trees, buildings, and in-game events to sink your frozen fingers into.
Interestingly, the devs behind the scenes shared that working on Frostpunk 2 made them realize just how much they wanted to revisit and expand upon the foundation of the original. So Frostpunk 1886 isn’t just a standalone experiment—it’s a core platform going forward. Future DLCs? Coming here. Community-made mods? Fully supported.
And hey, that’s a big deal. Games like this live and die by community involvement, so seeing mod support built in from the ground up feels like a solid win.
Expect more updates as 2027 creeps closer. The team promises gameplay showcases and behind-the-scenes peeks into development, so stay tuned.
Let’s talk—what features are you hoping to see in Frostpunk 1886? Drop your wishlist in the comments. Let’s get the discussion (and the hypothetical snowstorm) rolling.
