Permafrost detailed ahead of October launch

Developer SpaceRocket Games and publisher Toplitz Productions will release Permafrost into PC Early Access on October 9, 2026, through Steam, GOG and the Epic Games Store. The story-driven survival sandbox was originally due on August 21 before the studio pushed it back to October to give the game more time.

Playtest opens

Ahead of launch, a playtest runs from October 2 at 14:00 CEST until October 6 at 14:00 CEST. Players request access through the Steam page. Each session lasts one hour from the moment the game launches, and every tester receives three invites to bring friends along. The team says the playtest lets players try out the gear before the Early Access release.

What the game offers

Permafrost is set in a frozen, post-apocalyptic world and can be played solo or in co-op with up to four players. Players explore, scavenge, craft, and build a network of shelters to outlast the cold. A rescued dog serves as an early warning companion, using its keen sense of smell while players roam the wilderness.

SpaceRocket Games says Early Access will last at least 12 months. That time will go toward new biomes, quests, mechanics, quality-of-life features, and technical optimization. The developer also says the price will very likely rise before the full 1.0 release, with lower starting prices acting as thanks for early support.

PC system requirements

The minimum specification calls for Windows 10 64-bit, an Intel Core i5-8600K or AMD Ryzen 5 3500, 16 GB of RAM, and an Nvidia GTX 1060 6GB or AMD Radeon RX 590 8GB graphics card.

The recommended specification lists Windows 10 64-bit, an Intel Core i5-12400 or AMD Ryzen 5 5600X, 16 GB of RAM, and an Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti 8 GB or AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT 12 GB graphics card. Both tiers require DirectX 12 and 30 GB of free storage.

Permafrost arrives in a busy stretch for PC players. NCSoft's Unreal Engine 5 MMORPG Aion 2 is already live in Advance Access for Founder's Pack owners and goes free-to-play for everyone on October 5, four days before Permafrost's Early Access begins.