Hinterland announced in August 2026 that it is delaying the early access launch of Blackfrost, the sequel to its survival game The Long Dark, to next year. The studio moved some developers away from Blackfrost to work on two new downloadable content expansions for The Long Dark survival mode instead [1, 2, 3].
The Long Dark’s story mode concluded earlier this year with its final episode, originally intended as the end of the game’s narrative [1, 2, 3]. Blackfrost was announced in 2024 with plans to follow the original game's early access release model [1, 2, 3].
Hinterland cited an “uncertain” game industry environment as a key reason for the shift, mentioning disrupted business models, complicated geopolitics, unclear next-generation console prospects, and decreased player spending on new games. The studio said players are turning to familiar games for “comfort and security” amid these challenges [2].
Despite the delays, Hinterland confirmed no layoffs have occurred, though some staff were reallocated from Blackfrost to The Long Dark's core game and DLC development. The studio plans to support the survival mode for another two years with bug fixes, quality-of-life improvements, and new features including regions introduced in the final story episode [1, 2, 3].
Two new DLCs are in development: one will release piecemeal like the previous Tales From The Far Territory expansion pass, while details on the second remain limited but it will differ from the first [1, 2, 3]. Hinterland is also considering raising prices on standalone survival mode and DLC content to offset revenue losses but aims to balance this against overall inflation and player affordability concerns [1, 3].
Hinterland disclosed it has declined offers from publishers and will continue self-funding and self-publishing Blackfrost, seeking partners who align with the studio and players' interests [1, 3].
Blackfrost’s gameplay reveal is planned before the end of 2026. The Long Dark franchise has been active for nine years. [1, 2, 3]
