Same frozen Earth, opposite scale — one survivor or one society.
The fiction is nearly identical: a frozen Earth where heat is the only currency that matters and every decision is paid for in suffering.
Frostpunk asks you to keep a society warm. Permafrost asks you to keep yourself warm. One is a legislature, the other is a salvage run.
Side by side
| Dimension | Permafrost | Frostpunk 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Premise | Frozen Earth after the moon shatters | Frozen Earth after volcanic winter |
| Scale | One survivor (or four in co-op) | An entire city and its factions |
| Genre | Open-world survival craft | City management / society survival |
| Heat mechanic | Personal — clothing, fire, shelter | Civic — generator radius, district heating |
| Co-op | Yes — up to 4 players | No — single-player |
| Failure state | You freeze | Your society turns on you |
| Status | Early Access from 9 Oct 2026 | Full release |
Frostpunk 2 — 11 bit studios, 2024. Permafrost — SpaceRocket Games / Toplitz Productions, Early Access 9 October 2026. Anything not yet disclosed for Permafrost is marked as such rather than guessed.
Play Frostpunk 2 if…
You want the frozen-Earth premise at societal scale with brutal political trade-offs.
Frostpunk 2 on Steam ↗Play Permafrost if…
You want that premise at human scale — where the cold is something you feel on your own coat.
Release date & wishlist →Verdict. Different games that share a premise. If you love one you will probably want the other, and they do not compete for the same hours.
FAQ
Is Permafrost like Frostpunk 2? +
The fiction is nearly identical: a frozen Earth where heat is the only currency that matters and every decision is paid for in suffering.
What is the biggest difference between Permafrost and Frostpunk 2? +
Frostpunk asks you to keep a society warm. Permafrost asks you to keep yourself warm. One is a legislature, the other is a salvage run.
Which should I play — Permafrost or Frostpunk 2? +
You want the frozen-Earth premise at societal scale with brutal political trade-offs. You want that premise at human scale — where the cold is something you feel on your own coat.
When does Permafrost come out? +
Permafrost enters Early Access on 9 October 2026 on Steam, GOG.com and the Epic Games Store.
More comparisons
Permafrost vs The Long Dark
The two coldest games in the genre, compared on what actually differs.
ComparisonPermafrost vs Valheim
The genre-standard co-op builder, versus the cold-first newcomer.
ComparisonPermafrost vs Icarus
Timed extraction salvage versus persistent frozen-world survival.
ComparisonPermafrost vs Medieval Dynasty
The same publisher, two very different winters.
Data version 2026.09.24 · reviewed 24 September 2026.