A Necessary Delay: The Sinking City 2 Pushed to 2026
In a somber but necessary announcement, Ukrainian developer Frogwares has confirmed that its upcoming Lovecraftian horror title, The Sinking City 2, will be delayed. Originally anticipated for a 2025 release, the game is now targeting the first half of 2026. The studio cited two major factors for the decision: the immense, ongoing challenges of developing a game during the war in Ukraine, and the steep learning curve of shifting from their traditional investigation-adventure genre to full-blown survival horror.
To soften the blow for fans, Frogwares also released a batch of stunning, albeit work-in-progress, screenshots from the Unreal Engine 5 project, offering a first glimpse into the terrifying world they are building.
Developing Under Fire: The Reality of War
The primary reason for the delay is the stark and harrowing reality of the war in Ukraine. Frogwares, a Kyiv-based studio, has been working under unimaginable conditions. In a statement, Sergiy Oganesyan, the head of publishing, painted a grim picture of their daily lives: “At one point, we were losing power for days as drones and missiles hit our power grid. When that tactic stopped working, it became mass drone swarms every other night… You work all day, then spend the sleepless night listening for explosions, and somehow still need to function the next morning.”
Given these constant disruptions and the immense personal toll on the team, the studio decided that rushing to meet an arbitrary 2025 deadline no longer made sense. Instead, they are choosing to take the time needed to finish the game properly, without compromising its quality or the well-being of their developers.
A New Kind of Fear: The Shift to Survival Horror
On top of the external pressures, Frogwares is also navigating a major internal challenge. For over two decades, the studio has been the master of investigation-adventure games, primarily through its celebrated Sherlock Holmes series. With The Sinking City 2, they are making a deliberate pivot into the survival horror genre, and it’s proving to be a demanding transition.
“We’ve been making investigation adventures for more than twenty years, but survival horror asks for a completely different kind of design thinking,” explained lead game designer Alexander Gresko. He noted that building mechanics centered around tension, pacing, and combat is an exciting but slower process. The extra development time will allow the team to refine these new systems and ensure that their first true survival horror title delivers the tense, atmospheric, and deeply unsettling experience that fans of the genre expect.
Conclusion
While a delay is always disappointing, the reasons behind this one are deeply understandable. Frogwares is not only taking on an ambitious new creative direction but doing so under the constant threat of war. The decision to prioritize the quality of the game and the health of the team is one that the community has met with overwhelming support. The new screenshots show a project with immense promise, and taking the extra time to get it right is undoubtedly the correct call. We can all wait a little longer to descend into the madness of Arkham.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the new release window for The Sinking City 2?
The game has been delayed from its expected 2025 release and is now targeting the first half of 2026.
2. Why was the game delayed?
There are two main reasons: the immense challenges and disruptions caused by the ongoing war in Ukraine, where the studio is based, and the extra time needed for the team to master the survival horror genre, which is a new direction for them.
3. Is Frogwares a Ukrainian studio?
Yes, Frogwares is based in Kyiv, Ukraine, and the team has been developing the game while enduring power outages and regular drone and missile attacks.
4. How is The Sinking City 2 different from the first game?
The sequel is making a major genre shift. While the first game was primarily an investigation-adventure with combat elements, The Sinking City 2 is being designed from the ground up as a full survival horror experience, focusing more on tension, pacing, and combat.
5. Did the developers show anything new with the delay announcement?
Yes, to help ease the wait, Frogwares released a batch of new, work-in-progress screenshots showing off the game’s unsettling atmosphere and enemies being built in Unreal Engine 5.
6. What platforms will The Sinking City 2 be on?
The game is planned for release on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.