The Frostpunk 2 beta will soon let you watch citizens under your charge freeze, starve, and work themselves to death, all while you stand by the sidelines, hopelessly unable to save them from the horror. Yay?
A sequel to 2018’s relentlessly difficult city-builder, Frostpunk 2 is one of the more hotly anticipated games of the 2024, already wracking up more than 2 million wishlists on Steam. Here’s when the Frostpunk 2 beta starts, plus details about how to access and what to expect from it.
How to access the Frostpunk 2 beta
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Image: 11 Bit Studios
Frostpunk 2 is set to release on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X (via Game Pass), but the beta will only be available on Windows PC. Additionally, it is only available to people who pre-order the game’s deluxe edition.
Frostpunk 2 beta start times in your time zone
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Image: 11 Bit Studios
The Frostpunk 2 beta starts on Monday, April 15, at 1 p.m. EDT. Here’s when that is in your time zone:
- 10 a.m. PDT on April 15 for the west coast of North America
- 1 p.m. EDT on April 15 for the east coast of North America
- 6 p.m. BST on April 15 for the United Kingdom
- 7 p.m. CEST on April 15 for west mainland Europe
- 2 a.m. JST on April 16 for Japan
The Frostpunk 2 beta is scheduled to last for a week, through Monday, April 22, but developer 11 Bit Studios did not say what time exactly it will end.
At launch, the Frostpunk 2 beta will feature two language options: English and Simplified Chinese.
What to expect from the Frostpunk 2 beta
The Frostpunk 2 beta will give you partial access to the “Utopia Builder Preview,” which 11 Bit Studios has described as the game’s sandbox mode, though hasn’t elaborated much beyond that. That said, a gameplay trailer suggests Frostpunk 2 much like its predecessor, albeit with a grander scope, featuring larger cities and more complex scenarios of political strife.
For those who skipped the original, Frostpunk is a city-builder set in the wake of an ice age that ravaged the planet. Given scant resources, you’re tasked with creating and upholding a tenuous ramshackle settlement throughout a permanent winter. There are no good choices in Frostpunk, only “less bad” ones — and your citizens aren’t afraid to voice their displeasure.
Unsure whether or not your rig can run the Frostpunk 2 beta? Here’s a list of the system requirements.