Publisher Shiro Unlimited and developer FakeFish will release a public demo of Frostrail as part of Steam Next Fest, which runs from October 19 to 26, 2026. The brutal co-op survival FPS from the studio behind Barotrauma ranks among the top 100 most wishlisted games on Steam, and players can now wishlist Frostrail on Steam ahead of the event.
Quick facts
- Game: Frostrail, a brutal co-op survival FPS
- Developer: FakeFish, the studio behind Barotrauma
- Publisher: Shiro Unlimited
- Demo: public demo during Steam Next Fest, October 19 to 26, 2026
- Players: up to four in online co-op
- Platforms: Windows PC and Xbox
- Languages: English, Spanish, French, German, Russian, Brazilian Portuguese and Simplified Chinese
A Train Ride Into the Frozen Wasteland
In Frostrail, up to four players form a crew of pilgrim survivors and board a train traveling into a post-apocalyptic frozen wasteland. The locomotive is both transport and lifeline, so the crew must keep the engine running while watching for stops along the way. Each halt on the route is a calculated risk, since leaving the warmth and safety of the train means stepping into territory where the cold is only one of many threats.
Ruined settlements, abandoned mines and long forgotten crypts hold vital equipment and materials needed to maintain and fortify the train. According to the official announcement, every successful run depends on reading the route ahead, choosing which stops are worth the danger and making it back before the cold closes in. The loop rewards crews that plan together, since a train that falls into disrepair leaves no one with a way home.
Salvage Runs and Revenants in the Snow
At each stop, players disembark, salvage whatever they can find and then return to the safety of the locomotive headlight. Lovecraftian creatures called Revenants prowl the frigid tundra, so the crew needs weapons, teamwork and the will to survive to make it back alive. From the preview materials, encounters in the open snow push players to cover each other while hauling supplies, turning every salvage run into a tense round trip.
The co-op structure shapes every decision. Solo scavenging may be faster, but a lone survivor caught by Revenants far from the train has few options. Sticking together, sharing resources and timing the retreat to the headlight are presented as the difference between a profitable stop and a lost crew. The result is a survival rhythm built around short bursts of exposure followed by regrouping aboard the train.
From the Studio Behind Barotrauma
Frostrail comes from FakeFish, the developer known for the co-op submarine survival game Barotrauma. That background shows in the emphasis on crew roles and shared pressure, where one player's mistake can put the whole team at risk. The studio is pairing that pedigree with a new setting, trading deep sea trenches for frozen rails and buried ruins.
“Frostrail is about surviving the worst conditions on board your steam-powered train,” said Ez Jämsen, Lead Designer at FakeFish. “We want to give survivors a real sense of being a crew and incentive to work together. There is nothing quite like making it back to the train with your team and wondering how you managed to pull it off, then setting off to do it again at the next stop.” Per the announcement, that feeling of a shared escape is the core the demo is built to show off.
Early Access Plans and Where to Follow Along
Frostrail will launch in Steam Early Access for Windows PC and on Xbox, per the announcement. The game supports English, Spanish, French, German, Russian, Brazilian Portuguese and Simplified Chinese at launch. With the Steam Next Fest demo dated, wishlisting now is the simplest way to get notified when the demo goes live and when Early Access dates are confirmed.
Players looking for more can visit the official FakeFish website and follow the game on social and community channels, while more information on Shiro Unlimited is available on the official website. With a top 100 wishlist rank already secured, the October demo is positioned as the first wide chance for players to judge whether this frozen rail journey earns a permanent place in their co-op rotation.
When does the Frostrail demo launch
The public Frostrail demo launches as part of Steam Next Fest, which runs from October 19 to 26, 2026. Players can wishlist the game on Steam now to get notified when the demo goes live.
How many players can play Frostrail together
Frostrail supports crews of up to four players in online co-op. Players form a crew of pilgrim survivors who keep their train running while braving salvage runs into the frozen wasteland.
What platforms will Frostrail support
Frostrail will launch in Steam Early Access for Windows PC and on Xbox. The release supports seven languages, including English, French, German, Russian and Simplified Chinese.
Who is developing Frostrail
Frostrail is developed by FakeFish, the studio behind the co-op survival game Barotrauma, and published by Shiro Unlimited. Lead Designer Ez Jämsen describes it as a game about surviving the worst conditions aboard a steam-powered train.
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