Permafrost Map

A frozen open world

The Steam store page describes a frozen open world where city ruins fade into wilderness. Progress is gated by exploration, as you restore shelters and repair machines to push deeper. The official developer Q&A lists forests, suburbs, industrial areas, urban districts and even skyscrapers.

Exploration also goes up and down. The developers highlight vertical travel, from climbing skyscrapers to exploring caves and underground areas. Not everything is on the surface, so look for entrances.

A fan datamine of the preview build measured the journal map at roughly 3 km across. The same data counts about 10 regions, 49 named places and 6 fast-travel points. These numbers are unofficial and may change in the launch build.

The setting explains why the map looks the way it does. In 2035, ten years after the moon shattered and its ring blocked the sun, Earth is locked in endless winter. Metropolis and the land around it are what remain, and every region tells part of that story through ruins, camps and frozen landmarks.

Key regions in story order

The story leads you through the regions in a rough order. Each new area brings harder conditions and better loot. These are the main stops, using the official names.

Other named places include the Crater, formed by a moon fragment and full of moon debris. Rat Queen's Crossing is described in the fan data as the only route to the Solar Facility. Crow's Nest, founded by a war veteran, is the heart of the ex-military faction.

Horizon and the Woods

Horizon is the first real safe spot after the opening, according to the official Steam post. Robyn Cane built it on top of an isolated hill cut off by rivers and rifts. You learn to survive here, trade with Mule and plan your next move.

Beyond the city walls lie the Woods, a transitional area between major locations. The official post calls them the best hunting grounds, and they also guard the military zone and the Bunker. At their heart stands Hunter's Glade, a weathered tower where the hunter Skinwalker lives.

House Camp is the next major settlement, with the Church at its center and a fast-travel point nearby. The official building post names it as one of the first places where Scrap becomes common, which unlocks the second building tier. It is also where you meet Anna, the Resistance leader who fights the Moon Cult.

The Solar Facility and the Urban District

The Solar Facility is a modern site full of damaged and distorted solar panels, as an official sneak peek describes it. It is run by Logan Boyce, the scavenger boss who deals in strength and fear. In the fan data, the Solars region holds the widest range of loot types on the map, which makes it worth the risk once you are ready.

The Urban District is where you leave the rural landscape behind for apartment buildings, condos and tower blocks. The official post describes it as a war-torn district with rival factions fighting over what is left. Expect more people, more danger and more vertical exploration than anywhere before it.

White Hell and City Mall

Far into the journey lies White Hell, the frozen remains of a once great city. The official post describes armed factions ruling the lower streets while the tallest buildings offer both refuge and risk. Few reach it, and fewer survive.

The main goal of the story is City Mall, which the developers call the largest location suitable for a base. It sits inside White Hell, the most treacherous biome. The official Early Access roadmap adds White Hell as a new biome in Update 4, with new enemies, locations and its own story.

Cold Zones on the map

Cold Zones are marked areas of extreme cold scattered across the world. They hold better loot, but you cannot build inside them and they drain warmth fast. The fan map of the preview build marks dozens of them.

Some sit around landmarks, such as a water tower surrounded by a Cold Zone. Plan your route so you can warm up before and after crossing one. The stay warm guide explains what gear to bring.

Reading the journal map

Press J to open the journal, which holds the map along with quests, guides, lore and blueprints. Playtest footage shows the map marking your dog, quest NPCs and discovered places. Your base and claimed bed also appear on it.

On screen, a compass shows directions and distances to objectives. One playtester praised the compass with exact distances and the clear time and temperature readouts. The ambient temperature appears at the top of the screen.

Flags on the map mark cave entrances, which are easy to miss otherwise. The fan map legend also lists icons for hunting grounds, renovation zones and safe areas. Check the map often as you uncover new places.

Fast travel points

Fast travel exists, but it is easy to miss. A reviewer of the full build did not realise it was there for the first five hours. The points blend into the environment and only show a tutorial after you first use one.

Walk up to unusual objects in each settlement and try interacting with them. Once unlocked, a point lets you travel between discovered locations. The fan data lists points at Home, the Church, Crow's Nest, Horizon, the Solar Fields and The Last Stand.

You can also build your own Fast Travel Point at your base. That links your home to the points you have discovered. See the base building guide for setting up a base.

What the roadmap adds to the map

The map will grow during Early Access. Update 1 includes a map content update with new chests, hidden treasures, recipes and items. Update 4 brings the White Hell biome.

The Steam FAQ also promises several new biomes, quests, NPCs, enemies, equipment and vehicles before 1.0. Expect new regions to appear over the next year. We will update this page as they arrive.