Frostrail FAQ
Frostrail is playable now as a free demo until 26 October 2026, releases into Early Access in 2026 with no price announced, supports one to four players in online co-op with no in-game chat, and has no controller support yet.
The questions below are the ones actually being asked on the Frostrail Steam forums during the Next Fest demo, plus the ones the developer answered in their own official FAQ. Where an answer does not exist yet, this page says so rather than guessing.
Demo and access
Is there a free demo? Yes. Frostrail Demo (app 5090080) is free on Steam and runs during Steam Next Fest from 19 to 26 October 2026.
Do I need to own the full game to play the demo? No. The demo is a separate app with its own store page and installs on its own.
Will the demo still be available after 26 October? Normally a Next Fest demo is delisted when the festival ends. If you want to keep playing, install it and finish your runs before the 26th.
Does demo progress carry into Early Access? Nothing has been announced either way. Assume it does not.
Is there a closed beta I can still join? No. The closed beta ran from 31 August to 7 September 2026 and is over. The Next Fest demo is the public replacement.
Multiplayer
How many players can play together? One to four. The studio describes the game as developed "with crews of 1–4 players in mind" and says that balance will keep being evaluated through Early Access.
Is co-op online only, or is there split-screen? Online co-op. There is no local or split-screen mode listed anywhere on the store page.
Is there matchmaking, or do I need friends? Sessions are organised through Steam friend invites rather than a public matchmaker, based on how invitations worked during the closed beta and demo.
Is there an in-game chat? No. A Steam forum thread asking how to talk in game got the direct answer "you don't, there's no chat". Plan on Steam voice or Discord for coordination.
Is there PvP? No. Frostrail is a PvE survival game.
Is there cross-play between PC and console? Not applicable yet — no console version has been announced. Nothing about cross-play has been published.
Settings and controls
Does Frostrail support controllers? Not at the start of Early Access. The official FAQ says controller support is in the development plans "but it will probably not be available immediately at the start of Early Access". The demo is keyboard and mouse, which is why "No Controller Support??" appeared on the forums within hours of launch.
Where is the resolution setting? Players have asked this on the forums; the demo's options are limited compared with a finished game. If you cannot find a display setting, check the main menu options and the graphics submenu — and report it, because the studio is collecting exactly this feedback during Next Fest.
Can I invert the mouse? There is a forum thread asking for mouse inversion, which means it is not obvious in the current build. Settings coverage is one of the things being fixed before Early Access.
Progression and saves
How does saving work? Saves happen at stations. Players who quit mid-expedition have reported rolling back to the last station save, in one case losing around ninety minutes. Finish an outing before you close the game.
I am stuck at a boarded basement door and the crowbar does nothing. This is quest gating, not a bug in your game. The objective chain has to reach the step that hands you the crowbar and sends you underground; trying it early does nothing. Several players also report that on the level with a blocked track you should loot the basement before clearing the obstacle.
I crafted a pipe rifle and a stock but cannot attach them. You need an Assembly Station. It appears as a new option in your build menu once you have both parts. See scavenging and crafting.
How many areas are in the demo? Three, according to the official demo graphic.
The game itself
When does Frostrail release? Early Access in 2026. The Steam store shows Q4 2026. No exact date has been announced. See release date.
How much will it cost? Not announced. FakeFish has said publicly that it is too early to give a number and that they do not want to create confusion with guesses.
What engine is it? Unreal Engine 5.
Is it made by the Barotrauma team? Partly. FakeFish is the studio behind Barotrauma, and the Frostrail team includes many of the same developers plus people hired specifically for this project.
Can I mod it? Not the way Barotrauma can be modded. The developer FAQ says full moddability is not possible here, partly because of engine constraints, and that smaller-scale customisation will be explored during Early Access.
Will it come to PS5, Xbox or Switch? Not at launch. Frostrail releases first in Early Access on PC-Steam; console ports will be evaluated for 1.0 and beyond.
Does it run on Linux or Mac? Linux is a tentative yes — one developer works primarily on Linux and the studio says it is eager to support it. macOS is not committed. Neither is in the published system requirements. See system requirements.
Is there a code system or redeem keys? No. There is no redeem field on the store page, no key entry in the demo, and no announcement has ever mentioned codes. Any site offering Frostrail keys is not offering something the game has.
