Thirty years have passed since the vicious storm that concluded the first chapter of humankind's survival story in Frostpunk, Earth is still overwhelmed by the neverending frost and harsh, icy climate. But the apocalyptic world has moved on. After the age of coal, conquering Frostland for the oil extraction industry is expected to be the new salvation of what’s left of humanity.

The City, settled around the Generator and its life-giving warmth, grew and progressed as the years ticked on. Years of whiteouts have changed the world, giving it a clean slate with which to write a new post-apocalyptic part of its story. Despite the noose of oppression again starting to tighten on a society that is struggling for life-preserving supplies—and increasingly bothered by inner squabbles after recent events—the world is once again facing an era of possibly prolific expansion.

Most notably, however, people changed. And once they feel like they’ve tamed the frost, and the bonding survival instinct has faded, their human nature will come into play, driven by ambition that could spiral The City into the fall.

However, change does not come easily, and not everyone in this new multi-layered society will welcome this new direction.

While continuing the legacy of what came before, the soundtrack to Frostpunk 2 aims to introduce something unique to the game all while ensuring the music maintains its icy grip on players.

In a new video, Music Composer Piotr Musiał and Expert Sound Designer Krzysztof Lipka discuss respecting the legacy of Frostpunk, how music helps convey the vastness of the frostland on a much bigger scale, and how unusual instruments—from steam engines and machinery sounds to the noise of the crowd—fit into the unique approach that Frostpunk 2 takes toward game music.

The original iconic music from Frostpunk, performed by a talented string quartet, felt too intimate for the scale of the sequel. This time, Piotr and the team decided to use a much bigger orchestra with a heavier sound, which helps players truly feel the expanse of the city and the weight of their decisions. 

To bring the music even closer to the game, they were in search of instruments that could resemble the harsh reality of the Frostpunk world, one where you use scraps and old machinery as meager assets just to get by. One such instrument, the Ghost Cello, is the secret ingredient that can produce primitive music on one hand and an amazing futuristic ambient melody on the other.

Another important part of the Frostpunk 2 sound is the people. Players will experience the crowd in different ways depending on the city’s size, the tension, and multiple other parameters that are happening in real-time.

Music plays a huge part in the Frostpunk 2 experience that comes with all the new pressures of leading the city as a Steward. We hope you’ll enjoy the return of favorite motifs and the completely new and expanded approach to the sounds of the frostland.

Frostpunk 2 is coming to PC (Steam, Epic Games Store, GOG) and PC Game Pass on September 20, 2024, followed by PS5 and Xbox Series X|S at a later time.