Frostpunk 2 limited access beta starts today
11 Bit Studios has announced that the limited access beta for highly anticipated sequel, Frostpunk 2, has started today.
The publisher says that if you have pre-ordered the deluxe edition of the game, you can now play a week-long beta which features “a portion of the sandbox mode known as the Utopia Builder Preview”. On top of that, there’s a new developer commentary video been released which shows more of the changes made for the sequel, and some more footage of the game in action ahead of the July 25th release date.
Check out the five minute video, below:
In Frostpunk 2, the Utopia Builder sandbox experience is enhanced with a richer narrative and other unique aspects specific to the sequel. The game’s developers emphasize that “making a blizzard in a sequel even bigger than the one in the first Frostpunk wouldn’t feel satisfying, creative, or exciting for the players,” so with that in mind, Frostpunk 2 remains a society survival strategy game but places greater emphasis on shaping society than its predecessor.
With the weather somewhat tamed, citizens and factions contemplate various visions for the future. As the new Steward, players must build a council representative of these factions. The ideological conflict is also present in the Utopia Builder Preview mode, where players must reconcile conflicting interests and navigate societal complexities.
If you get beta access, it will start from 7 PM CEST / 1 PM ET / 10 AM PT today (that’s 6pm UK time) and run until April 22nd at the same time. The publisher says of the beta: “While Frostpunk 2 is significantly larger in scale than the original game in every aspect, this Preview offers a glimpse of approximately 40 percent of the full experience awaiting players upon the game’s release on July 25, 2024, on PC and via PC Game Pass”, adding that people should “anticipate additional factions, expansive maps and colonies, increased exploration, dramatic occurrences, and a robust narrative campaign mode.”
The PC version is set to launch on July 25th, with a console edition planned for later.
