According to XDA-Developers, developer 11 bit Studios is creating a full Unreal Engine 5 remake of its 2018 city-builder, Frostpunk, titled Frostpunk 1886. Game Director Maciej Sułecki confirmed the project is targeting a 2027 release and is being built as a “platform for future development and improvement.” The remake will include the original four scenarios and endless mode, but also plans to add new content like 11 new laws, five or six new buildings, and enhanced citizen animations. The shift from the studio’s old Liquid Engine to UE5 is intended to make the game far easier to update and support with future DLC. Sułecki admitted the team hasn’t yet reached the halfway point in development but is confident in the 2027 target.
The real reason for a remake
Here’s the thing: a 2018 game getting a full remake in 2027 feels a bit soon, right? It’s not like we’re talking about a PS2 classic. But the reasoning from 11 bit Studios is actually pretty sound from a business and technical perspective. Their old proprietary engine, the Liquid Engine, was apparently a pain to work with for ongoing content. Sułecki basically said it would be a huge effort to bring it up to modern standards. So instead of pouring resources into legacy tech, they’re porting the entire experience to Unreal Engine 5, which they’re already using for Frostpunk 2.
This isn’t just about prettier snow (though it will definitely look better). It’s about creating a sustainable product. By calling it a “platform,” they’re signaling this is the definitive Frostpunk 1 experience they plan to support for years. They can re-use tech from the sequel, streamline development, and, crucially, make it more mod-friendly. That’s a smart long-term play. It turns a one-and-done single-player game into a live service-like hub without the icky live-service monetization. At least, that’s the hope.
Learning from Frostpunk 2’s mistakes
This is where it gets interesting. Sułecki openly talked about the scale problem they faced. This War of Mine was intimate. Frostpunk 1 was about a community. Frostpunk 2 tried to manage a metropolis of thousands, and that macro focus apparently diluted the powerful, personal connection players had with their citizens’ struggles. It was a divisive shift.
So for Frostpunk 1886, they’re deliberately course-correcting back to intimacy. New camera functions to zoom in, better animations to see individuals, and new story events designed to make you believe “those are real people.” They’re taking the core emotional punch of the original and using new tech to amplify it. It’s a rare and refreshing admission: our sequel drifted from what made the original special, so let’s double down on that magic in the remake. I think that’s a compelling reason for fans to be excited.
The long road to 2027 and beyond
Now, a 2027 release date for a remake of a game that isn’t even a decade old feels… distant. Sułecki says they’re not even halfway there yet. But his confidence seems to stem from the fact they’re not designing a new game from the ground up; they’re translating and enhancing an existing blueprint in a more flexible engine. The heavy creative lifting of scenario design, core mechanics, and balance is already done.
The plan is to launch with the core original content, then steadily port over the old DLC scenarios and, presumably, add brand-new ones. This phased approach makes sense. It gets a modern version of the game out the door, and the UE5 foundation makes adding to it later relatively straightforward. For a studio that specializes in deep, narrative-driven strategy games, this is a savvy way to extend the lifespan of their flagship IP without the risk of a brand-new sequel. They’re building a new home for Frostpunk 1, and they want to keep adding rooms to it for a long time.
