Permafrost enters Early Access on October 9, 2026, with a frozen open world, shelter building, and four-player co-op. This guide covers the launch price and discount, PC system requirements, the content included in the first Early Access build, and the roadmap ahead.We also explain what you can play at launch, which features are planned for later updates, and who should consider stepping into this permanent winter on day one.
PermafrostPermafrostPermafrost is a third-person open-world survival game with story-driven quests from SpaceRocket Games, published by Toplitz Productions. After a chain of catastrophes culminating in the destruction of the Moon, Earth is trapped in an endless winter. The protagonist is an engineer drawn into the frozen wasteland by a radio signal from a long-lost friend. Fixing machines is familiar territory. Staying alive in a world buried under snow is something you will have to learn together.The core loop revolves around exploration, preparation, and building a network of shelters. You search ruined cities for supplies, hunt, craft equipment, restore technology, and establish safe locations that let you push farther into the world. In other words, it covers most of the things survival fans expect, but the cold itself is a constant threat. Blizzards, frostbite, hostile encounters, and shortages can turn a beautiful snowy view into the last thing your character sees if you leave home unprepared.Permafrost also includes a dog companion that helps with exploration, warns you about danger, and carries supplies. This is part of the game's advertised feature set rather than a decorative camp mascot. The overall direction is harsh and relatively grounded survival rather than nonstop shooting. If you want something more focused on constant combat with friends, see our best co-op shooters to play in 2026.
Permafrost release date and platforms
Permafrost enters Early Access on October 9, 2026. Steam's current release data lists the unlock for 12:00 UTC. That corresponds to 08:00 EDT in New York, 05:00 PDT in Los Angeles, 13:00 BST in London, and 14:00 CEST in Berlin on October 9. This is the launch of the first paid Early Access build, not version 1.0.The announced PC storefronts are Steam, GOG, and Epic Games Store. The game was previously scheduled for August 21, but SpaceRocket Games and Toplitz Productions delayed it to improve content and performance. Any old August release date is now outdated. The current launch announcement is focused on Windows PC, so do not assume a console version arrives on October 9 as well.
Permafrost price and launch discount
PermafrostPermafrostThe announced Early Access base price is $24.99, with a 20% launch discount. At that discount, the US price should be about $19.99 before any local taxes. SpaceRocket Games has also confirmed custom regional pricing, so the final amount in other currencies will be set by the storefront rather than by a simple exchange-rate conversion.Older promotional material tied the launch discount to wishlist milestones and mentioned a possible discount of up to 30%. The newer October 6 announcement confirms 20%, so that is the figure to use for launch. The developers also say the price may rise as Early Access progresses and the game moves closer to 1.0. That still does not mean you should buy blindly. A discount does not remove the normal risks of an unfinished Early Access build.Epic Games GOG Steam
What is included in Early Access, and when will version 1.0 launch?
According to the developers, the launch build already contains most of the core gameplay systems. The current description promises multiple biomes, hundreds of items, building blueprints, crafting recipes, the opening portion of the story, side quests, and working multiplayer. In other words, the team is launching a playable survival game with exploration and progression rather than an empty map backed only by future promises. That said, the beginning of the story is not the same thing as a complete final campaign.SpaceRocket Games expects Permafrost to remain in Early Access for at least 12 months, but there is no fixed 1.0 release date. Do not turn that estimate into a promise of an October 2027 full launch. The developers plan to expand the game with more biomes, quests, characters, enemies, equipment, vehicles, mechanics, quality-of-life improvements, and technical optimization. The scope and schedule can still change in response to player feedback.On October 7, the developers published a roadmap for the first four major post-launch updates:
Update 1 - improved combat animations, new stashes and recipes, new weapons and clothing, plus improvements to crafting, building, inventory, and other quality-of-life systems.
Update 2 - weapon crafting from parts, additional firearms, more side quests, and further story content.
Update 3 - a new sledgehammer for breaking obstacles and other destructible objects, plus two additional firearms.
Update 4 - a new dangerous biome called White Hell, with its own enemies, locations, and story, alongside four new firearms, a new torch type, and more quality-of-life work.
These are post-launch roadmap plans, not features included in the initial Early Access build. The roadmap does not attach calendar dates to the four updates. Judge the purchase primarily by what is available on October 9 and treat the planned expansions as an additional reason to follow development rather than guaranteed launch content.
Co-op: how many players, and can you play solo?
PermafrostPermafrostPermafrost supports online co-op for up to four players, meaning you and up to three friends. Solo play is also supported, so a full group is not required. The developers encourage teams to divide responsibilities while scavenging and maintaining shelter networks. We recommend agreeing on basic roles early, otherwise a four-player survival expedition can quickly become four separate journeys to collect the same piece of scrap.Steam currently lists online co-op rather than local or split-screen multiplayer. Epic Games Store displays a Cross Platform label, but that alone does not explain every possible connection between PC storefronts and does not confirm console crossplay. If your group plans to buy the game from different stores, check the specific compatibility of those versions before paying rather than assuming every client can connect to every other one.
Permafrost PC system requirements
Both published configurations require 64-bit Windows 10, 16 GB of RAM, DirectX 12, and 30 GB of free storage. The requirements are listed for the PC version without a target resolution, graphics preset, or frame-rate guarantee. That means the minimum specification should not be read as a promise of stable 60 FPS. Compare your hardware with both lists below before buying.
Minimum system requirements
The minimum configuration is:
OS: Windows 10, 64-bit.
CPU: Intel Core i5-8600K or AMD Ryzen 5 3500.
RAM: 16 GB.
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 with 6 GB VRAM or AMD Radeon RX 590 with 8 GB.
DirectX: Version 12.
Storage: 30 GB available space.
Recommended system requirements
The recommended configuration is much more demanding on the GPU:
OS: Windows 10, 64-bit.
CPU: Intel Core i5-12400 or AMD Ryzen 5 5600X.
RAM: 16 GB.
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti with 8 GB VRAM or AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT with 12 GB.
DirectX: Version 12.
Storage: 30 GB available space.
PermafrostPermafrostThe published requirements do not specify an SSD, so we will not invent one as a mandatory requirement. If your PC sits close to the minimum specification, waiting for performance tests of the launch build is the safer option. The developers acknowledged technical issues reported during pre-release testing and said fixes were being prepared for launch. That does not prove the same problems will remain in Early Access, but it also would not be responsible to guarantee they are all gone before players test the final build.
Should you buy Permafrost at Early Access launch?
Permafrost is worth watching if you enjoy slower survival games built around scavenging, shelter construction, route planning, and preparing for each expedition. The cold itself is one of the main threats, while co-op gives a group a way to split mundane survival tasks between players. If you like following a game through development and returning as major updates arrive, Early Access fits that kind of relationship well. Just buy the game that exists now rather than the perfect future version in your head.PermafrostPermafrostIf you want a complete story and confidence in performance before spending money, waiting for impressions after October 9 or for later updates is the more sensible choice. We recommend checking stability on hardware similar to yours and testing how well co-op works if you plan to play with friends. The roadmap exists and the price is clear, but the full release is still ahead. The endless winter is not going anywhere, so giving the first buyers a few days to report back is hardly a dangerous delay.
