The Long Dark from Hinterland Studio has lived up to its name, being a long-gestating Early Access game with multiple planned updates. Today, Hinterland laid out a full roadmap detailing the plans for the future of the game. The list is kept as spoiler-free as possible, and of course, tentative to change.

Starting this April, Version 1.0 of the game will launch, along with a new sandbox update. Here are the features expected with that update within six months:

  • Moose
  • Cougar
  • Improved Cooking; more of the cooking action happens in-game (vs. in menus); cooking happens in game-time (i.e. not accelerated time), so you can multi-task.
  • Frostbite affliction
  • Axe (tool)
  • Wellbeing system (i.e. mental/emotional cost of survival; “willpower locket” fits in here)
  • Aurora gameplay effects & hazards
  • New in-game fonts
  • Widespread narrative collectibles
  • Backer naming and writing rewards integrated into game world
  • Primitive firemaking skill (ex. bow-drill)
  • Improved first-person presence (low-hanging fruit)
  • Improved Sprains
  • Improved Infections
  • New Clothing system & all new Clothing assets
  • NPCs in the Sandbox
  • Parlay system
  • Steam Trading Cards
  • Challenge Mode: Hunted, Part Two
  • Improved firemaking (blowing mechanic; first-person presence)
  • Research Items (books of knowledge to improve skills)
  • Revolver
  • Simple shelter-building
  • Non-map based Navigation system
  • Knowledge system
  • Improved first-person presence (more complex interactions)
  • Snowshoes or Nordic skis?

A further six months after that, the team aims to implement even more features:

  • Mod support
  • Spring Sandbox
  • Moving water
  • Improved Fishing
  • Wolfpack behaviour
  • Wildlife interactions (ex. Wolves vs. Bears)
  • Grizzly Bear
  • Sandbox survivor personas (characters?)
  • VR Experience
  • Crafting for safehouse customization
  • Crafting for clothing customization
  • Gunsmithing & ammunition crafting

And in a year from now, the goal is to include the following in The Long Dark:

  • Full-season survival Sandbox (transitioning from season to season)
  • New travel options: Canoe, Horse
  • Seamless world streaming
  • Long-distance travel
  • Planting
  • Sandbox AI community social dynamics

The Long Dark is currently available in early access form on PC and Xbox One.