11 bit studios has exciting news for fans of the Frostpunk series: they've announced Frostpunk 1886, a comprehensive remake of the original game, set to launch in 2027. This announcement comes just over six months after the release of Frostpunk 2. Given that the first Frostpunk debuted in 2018, the remake will mark nearly a decade since its initial release.

Frostpunk is a renowned city-building survival video game set in an alternate history late 19th century, where players must construct and manage a city amidst a global volcanic winter. The game challenges players to make critical decisions on resource management, survival strategies, and exploration outside the city for survivors, resources, and other essential items.

IGN's review of the original Frostpunk awarded it a commendable 9/10, stating, "Frostpunk deftly mixes a variety of thematic ideas and gameplay elements into an engaging and unique, if occasionally unintuitive, strategy game." Meanwhile, Frostpunk 2 received an 8/10, with IGN noting, "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 they will continue to support Frostpunk 2 with free major content updates, a console launch, and additional DLCs, even as they develop Frostpunk 1886. The studio has moved from their proprietary Liquid Engine, which powered both the original Frostpunk and This War of Mine, to the more advanced Unreal Engine 5 for this new project. This shift allows them to lay a new foundation for the Frostpunk series.

"With the studio’s proprietary Liquid Engine, which powered not only the original Frostpunk but also This War of Mine, no longer in development, the team has long sought a new foundation to carry forward the legacy of the first game," 11 bit stated.

The developers emphasized that Frostpunk 1886 is not merely a visual update but an expansion on the original game's core, introducing new content, mechanics, laws, and an exciting new Purpose path. This path offers a fresh experience for both new and veteran players. The use of Unreal Engine also paves the way for long-awaited mod support and the potential for future DLC content, fulfilling community requests that were previously unattainable due to technical limitations.

"While Frostpunk 2 continues to forge ahead with free major content updates, a console launch, and DLCs, this newly announced project marks a return to the franchise’s roots, offering both newcomers and longtime citizens of New London an evolved take on the harsh, morally challenging survival experience that started it all," said 11 bit studios.

"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."

11 bit studios expressed their vision for the future, stating, "Fans can look forward to a future where Frostpunk 2 and Frostpunk 1886 evolve side by side — two paths forged in parallel, each carrying the vision of survival into unrelenting cold."

In addition to their work on the Frostpunk series, 11 bit studios is also developing The Alters, set to be released in June.