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.