The Long Dark

The Long Dark is a single-player survival game set in the wintry wilderness of northern Canada. After a geomagnetic disaster, the usual infrastructure no longer works. The biggest dangers are not monsters, but hypothermia, exhaustion, hunger and the unpredictable nature.

The game combines a free survival mode with the standalone story WINTERMUTE. Both use the same world, but pursue different goals and rules.

The Long Dark was released on Aug 1, 2017 as a full game for PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The survival mode had been playable on PC in Early Access since September 2014. The Switch version was released on Sep 17, 2020.

Standalone versions followed later for Xbox Series X|S on June 19, 2025 and PlayStation 5 on Nov 11, 2025. The five-part story WINTERMUTE was completed on PC, PlayStation and Xbox on Mar 31, 2026. On Nintendo Switch, its finale came out on June 9, 2026.

The Long Dark is natively available for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch. The PC version supports Windows, macOS and Linux. On Switch 2, the Switch edition runs via compatibility, without a separate Switch 2 version having been released.

The standalone versions for PS5 and Xbox Series differ from the older console versions. On PlayStation, eligible owners of the PS4 edition can switch to the PS5 version.

Every trip costs warmth and energy. If you stray too far from the protection of a shelter, you can be caught off guard by a change in weather. Food, water and sleep need planning, just like clothing and the limited carrying capacity of your backpack.

You can extend your survival time with tools, fire, hunting, fishing and self-made gear. The open world rewards knowing the area: a shelter you find only helps if you reach it in time during the next blizzard.

Tales from the Far Territory expands free Survival Mode with remote regions, interconnected story threads and additional systems. The expansion was gradually built out and completed in 2025. Several free improvements to the base game were released in parallel.

Iron Road is set to launch on October 27, 2026 as an early access expansion for Survival Mode on PC. The setting is Cauldron Island with an abandoned railway and a repairable train. At launch, the first island and around 30 kilometers of track are planned; the full plan includes five islands and more than 100 kilometers of rails. Iron Road requires the base game.

For Windows, Hinterland lists at least Windows 10 64-bit, a dual-core Intel i5 processor at 2 GHz minimum, 4 GB RAM, Intel 4xxx graphics with 512 MB video memory and 7 GB free storage. Recommended are an Intel i7 at 2.6 GHz, 8 GB RAM and a GeForce GTX 555 with 1 GB video memory or stronger components.

The PC release also supports macOS and Linux. The requirements of the respective system version apply.

In Survival Mode there is no set storyline leading to the next mission objective. The goal is to survive as long as possible. If the character dies, the attempt ends permanently and the associated save is deleted.

Different difficulty levels change the harshness of the environment and the availability of resources. Custom settings allow further adjustments. Challenges such as Whiteout and Hunted, by contrast, set specific survival goals.

WINTERMUTE tells the story in five episodes of bush pilot Will Mackenzie and doctor Astrid Greenwood. After a plane crash, the two are separated. Their search leads through towns, prison complexes and wilderness areas on Great Bear Island.

The final episode, The Light at the End of All Things, was released on March 31, 2026. On Switch it followed on June 9, 2026. Unlike Survival Mode, story progress can be saved, and a death does not wipe the entire save.

The Long Dark is designed as a single-player experience. The free survival mode and WINTERMUTE cannot be played in regular online co-op. Iron Road is also described on Steam as a single-player expansion.

Blackfrost: The Long Dark 2 is a different case: online co-op has been announced for the standalone sequel.

The Long Dark: Survival Mode includes the open survival mode. The Long Dark edition also includes the five-part story WINTERMUTE. On Steam, WINTERMUTE is also available as a standalone add-on for the Survival version.

The Quiet Apocalypse Bundle version combines the modes with additional content. When choosing an edition, what matters is whether you want to experience the story or only play your own survival attempts.

German menus and subtitles are available on Steam, while the voice-over is in English. Exploration is from a first-person perspective. Inventory, clothing condition, temperatures and needs are managed through on-screen menus.