11 Bit Studio has announced Frostpunk 1886, a remake of the original Frostpunk game, which is scheduled to release in 2027. The project will be using Unreal Engine 5, a departure from the Liquid Engine of the original, which is common for remakes and remasters, similar to the recently released The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, which used Unreal instead of Bethesda’s internal Creation Engine.
Having first launched in 2018, provided that this remake meets its intended date, will mark nearly a decade since the survival management sim first released. This announcement also follows shortly behind the release of the title Sequel, Frostpunk 2, which was released in September of last year.
Frostpunk is a city builder, similar to the likes of Cities: Skylines, set in an alternate history 19th century where a never-ending blizzard encompasses the world. While you build and grow your city, based around a furnace like the one in the trailer, the game sets itself apart by placing extremely hard decisions on the player that often lack a positive solution. Do you overwork your citizens to fuel your furnace, risking a revolt or sickness, or do you not, risking the furnace not burning hot enough to keep your citizens warm?
While the studio has turned some attention towards this remake, they have made clear that the fans of Frostpunk 2 need not worry, as it “continues to forge ahead with free major content updates,” with players also being able to look forward to “a console launch, and DLCs.”
The studio started off with Frostpunk 1886:
But Frostpunk 1886 — so titled to honour a pivotal moment in the timeline of the universe, when the Great Storm descended upon New London — is no mere visual overhaul. It builds upon the core of the original, expanding it with new content, mechanics, laws, and — perhaps most excitingly — an entirely new Purpose path, offering a fresh experience even for the most seasoned players.
Reimagining Frostpunk in Unreal Engine also allows the game to become a living, expandable platform, bringing with it long-awaited mod support — a community request that was previously impossible to realize due to technical limitations of the original engine — as well as the possibility to add future DLC content.
While I was unable to review Frostpunk 2 last year, it did make the top 10 list for our website last year thanks to its strong gameplay and moral choices. Frostpunk 2 is currently available for PC, with the original 2018 game available on both Consoles and PC.
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