Permafrost Playtest

Timeline of public tests

Permafrost went through three public tests before Early Access. Each one gave players a short look at the game and gave the developers a round of feedback. Here is the official timeline.

The demo was the biggest of the three by reach. According to the official post, over 500,000 players downloaded it, daily players peaked at 15,000 and the average play time was more than an hour. It was removed at the end of April 2025.

The 2024 Next Fest demo

The demo launched for Steam Next Fest in October 2024 and was extended after the event. Permafrost reached number 3 in Trending and Upcoming Games and peaked at number 7 among the most popular demos. It ran as its own app separate from the main game.

The demo had no save system, which drew a lot of criticism. The official forum account explained that the choice was between no demo at all or a demo without saves. After more than 10,000 pieces of feedback, the team promised a proper saving system for release.

The demo also shaped the game in other ways. The follow-up post listed performance work, multiplayer fixes, building improvements and better dog behaviour as priorities. Settings like motion blur and camera shake toggles were added through demo patches.

The March 2026 playtest

In March 2026 the developers opened a playtest through a sign-up on the Steam page. Selected players received invitations and could bring three friends along. A survey appeared automatically when players exited the game.

The test was scheduled to end on March 30 at 10:00 CET, but it closed early. In an official post, the developers said they had identified several feedback points that kept the game from being as enjoyable as they wanted. They ended the test and went straight back to work.

Everyone who took part was promised automatic access to the next test. That next test turned out to be the October preview. German outlet PC Games covered the March test as a small first look at the survival basics.

The official post for the March test reminded players that the game was still a work in progress. It asked everyone to fill out the survey and to invite friends. Ending the test early showed that the team took that feedback seriously.

The October 2026 preview

The final test ran from October 2 at 14:00 CEST to October 6 at 14:00 CEST. Players requested access on the Steam page and were let in over two waves, a smaller first wave to test the servers and then everyone else. Each tester received three invites to share with friends.

The time limit started at one hour, counted from the moment you launched the game. It included everything, even character creation. After strong feedback, the developers extended the total to two hours on October 3, which is why many players call it the 2h preview.

The test ran as a separate Permafrost Playtest app in your Steam library. After it closed, that app showed messages like this hasn't been released, along with only an uninstall option. That simply meant the test was over. Read more in our 2h preview guide.

Some players had requested access long before the test opened. One streamer said they signed up a while back and only got in on October 2, guessing the first wave was a server test. Notebookcheck reported the original rules as a one-hour session with three invites.

What testers reported

Testers praised the atmosphere, the dog companion and the basics of crafting and building. Several said they planned to buy the game, and one player called it worth the price even in Early Access. Many felt two hours was simply not enough time.

• Performance — low frame rates and stutter, especially when loading new zones.
• Crashes — often on DirectX 12; switching to DirectX 11 helped.
• Co-op — disconnects, rejoin problems, and the dog only for the host.
• Controller — the crafting menu could not be confirmed with a gamepad.
• Time limit — the timer kept running during character creation and cutscenes.

The team responded during the test itself. Update 1 for the playtest fixed several crashes, a building exclusion bug, a quest that could block progress and a client inventory-loss bug. It also switched off Custom difficulty for the time being.

Creators who reviewed the preview were careful about what two hours can show. One said it barely scratches the surface of a survival game of this scale, while praising the clean UI and tutorial. They also found the cold aggressive right from the start.

What happens now

There will be no more playtests before launch. The official announcement said that after October 6, the next time the snow opens up, it stays open. That next opening is Early Access on October 9, 2026.

In a letter to players, the developers thanked everyone from the closed sessions, the open playtests and the demo. They said they know the game is not perfect yet and that this is exactly why they are going into Early Access. Fixes from the playtest were promised for the launch build.

If you missed the preview, the official account mentioned giving away keys during the publisher's weekly Twitch stream on October 8. Otherwise, the game is available on Steam, GOG and the Epic Games Store from launch. See the price page for the launch discount.

Did testers keep their progress?

Progress from the demo did not carry over, because the demo could not save at all. The October preview had a save system, but it was a separate app from the main game. No official statement promised that preview progress would move to Early Access.

Plan on starting fresh when Early Access begins. The beginner guide covers the opening hours step by step. Your two hours of practice will still make the first night much easier.