Frostpunk is a city-building survival game, developed and published by 11 Bit Studios for Microsoft Windows in April 2018, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in October 2019, and finally for macOS in February 2021. It has achieved significant popularity amongst a loyal fanbase, selling over five million copies across all platforms.
The game throws its players into one of the last remaining human settlements on a version of Earth that has frozen over. At the center of the settlement sits a generator, the only thing keeping everyone alive in horrendously cold conditions. Players take on the role of its leader, forcing them to make difficult moral decisions concerning their followers’ well-being and lives. The city’s survival often outweighs the survival of specific individuals, fostering a constant dilemma between ethics and efficiency.
Frostpunk: Beyond the Ice, Frostpunk’s anticipated mobile counterpart, was originally announced in May 2021 during the NetEase Connect event, where the initial trailer for the game was first showcased. It signaled the start of a collaboration between 11 Bit Studios and NetEase Games, who have since worked together to translate the original Frostpunk experience into a mobile format. Com2uS, the game’s global publisher, NetEase, and 11 Bit Studios, announced Early Access registration for Frostpunk: Beyond the Ice back in January 2024. This has allowed those in the US, UK, and Philippines to take advantage of a special Early Access test version of the game prior to its official global release date, which was recently revealed.
The game announced the date via a post on X (formerly Twitter), informing fans that Frostpunk: Beyond the Ice is set to release globally on October 29, 2024. They encourage interested players to pre-register prior to its launch, which has now become an option available world-wide. The game’s X account has since begun countdown to the date, reminding followers that there are only “4 DAYS UNTIL Global Release.”
Frostpunk: Beyond the Ice also released an official cinematic trailer, in which the game’s October 29 global launch date is listed. The video is brief, but it sets up the game’s intense and frigid tone with the sounds of icy wind and orchestral accompaniment. “Survival,” a voice over begins, “It is the one thing you must peruse. Expand the city, explore beyond the unknown, secure resources through trade. Your decisions will determine the city’s future.” It concludes by informing potential players that the game is available on both the App Store and Google Play Store for pre-order.