DRAGO Entertainment has shared some sad but also exciting new information about the release of Winter Survival. The game was originally supposed to launch into Early Access in October 2023, but the release date has been postponed until February 24th, 2024.

The main reason for the change is that the game has evolved tremendously since the prologue release. The dev team has explained that pushing the release date back is because of the comments they have received from players. Joanna Tyner, CEO of DRAGO, explains that during the Prologue release on Steam, they received a lot of feedback from players about what they wanted to experience in the game, and the dev team took it to heart and decided to incorporate as many of the community suggestions as they could into the game.

Crucially, one of the biggest changes that the postponement allowed was the move from Unreal Engine 4 to Unreal Engine 5, which will provide for many new visual additions that will allow for a much more immersive experience, along with some new game mechanics and a new game mode to boot.

One of the new game mechanics was a change to the combat system, though not a lot is known about the changes yet. What we do know is that the combat in the base game of the prologue was a more defensive system, and it still is, but the new system allows the player to have more options and opportunities to be a bit more offensive in their gameplay.

By far the most expansive change coming with the release of the game is base building. The original idea behind the game was to have the player move from premade structures and bases as they progressed through the game, but going forward, you will be able to build your very own base almost anywhere. You will also be able to upgrade your shelter, as this will increase its durability and its cold protection, which are crucial to surviving out in the harsh wilderness.

The implementation of base building is going to go hand in hand with the new game modes: Endless Game Mode, where you will try and see how long you can survive instead of just trying to accomplish the main storyline, and Coldwave, where you have to brave the elements of the ever-changing winter.

A smaller but much more noticeable change is that the logo has gone through a change. The spear on the bottom of the logo symbolizes the changes coming to the combat system, while the cracks at the end of the logo symbolize the destructiveness of all aspects of the game, especially our mental states.

Even though the release of the game is delayed, there is good news as well: new playtests are planned to allow players to get their hands on the game and provide even more feedback to steer the direction of the game. If you want to try and get into the playtest, keep an eye out on their social media and Steam page.

I am excited for the future of Winter Survival and hope to share additional news about the game as it emerges. So what change are you most excited about? Are you glad to see an endless game mode? If so, let me know in the comments below.