Permafrost Guide: Beginner Tips, Co-op, Dedicated Servers and Early Access Roadmap

Permafrost is out now in Early Access. SpaceRocket Games' frozen survival sandbox launched on Steam, GOG and the Epic Games Store on October 9, 2026, and it drops you into a near-future Earth locked in endless winter after the moon shattered. This Permafrost guide covers everything you need: how to survive your first hours, Cold Zones, shelters, your dog companion, four-player co-op, whether there are dedicated servers, PC requirements, price and what's coming in the Early Access roadmap.

Every fact in this guide comes from SpaceRocket Games and publisher Toplitz Productions: the Steam store page, the Early Access FAQ, launch announcements, dev blogs and the official roadmap. We'll keep it updated through Early Access.

Permafrost at a glance

What is Permafrost?

Permafrost is a story-driven, open-world survival game. You play as a "Rook", an engineer who knows how to rebuild things but has little wilderness experience, drawn into the frozen world by a radio signal from a long-lost friend. The developers describe it as grounded survival "shaped by silence and scarcity": no constant gunfire, no fantasy tropes, just winter, isolation and the people who are left. Some survivors will trade with you, and some will fight you for every scrap.

Is Permafrost worth buying in Early Access?

SpaceRocket Games says most of the planned core features are already in: several biomes, hundreds of items, building blueprints and crafting recipes, the start of the story with plenty of side quests, and fully working co-op for up to four players. The studio has also been upfront that "the game isn't perfect yet". At launch, Steam user reviews were Mixed, but from too few reviews to judge.

The developers say the price is likely to rise during Early Access before the 1.0 release, so the launch discount is the cheapest it's expected to be. If you enjoy slow, preparation-heavy survival games like The Long Dark, it's a strong pick. If you prefer finished games, wait for the first few roadmap updates.

Permafrost beginner tips: how to survive the cold

The core of this Permafrost guide is simple: warmth first, everything else second. These eight tips cover what the developers say matters most in your first hours.

1. Treat the cold as your main enemy

The cold is ever-present: frostbite, storms and creeping chill shape every trip. The developers stress that preparation, shelter and timing decide whether you live, so plan every outing around warmth first and loot second.

2. Prepare before every trip

SpaceRocket Games' "Preparation Is Key" dev blog sums up the game. Before leaving shelter, make sure you have warm clothing, food, a way to make heat and an idea of where you'll shelter next. Running out of warmth far from safety is how most runs end.

3. Build a network of shelters, not just one base

You restore abandoned shelters and build your own, and the idea is to create a network across the map so you're never too far from warmth. Restoring shelters, repairing broken machines and reclaiming old technology is also how you push further into the world, because progression is gated by exploration.

4. Stay out of Cold Zones until you're ready

Cold Zones are areas of extreme cold where staying alive for long is impossible. The developers say they can be "quite fruitful" after serious preparation, and they've added valuable items inside to reward the risk. Go in fully equipped, know your way out, and leave before the cold wins.

5. Look after your dog

You rescue a dog from the ruins, and you can name it. It scouts ahead, warns you of danger and carries supplies, so treat it well. On solo runs in particular, it's your early-warning system.

6. Read the weather

Storms are one of the biggest threats, cutting visibility and pushing the cold even harder. Don't start a long journey with a storm coming, and know where your nearest shelter is.

7. Scavenge, craft and hunt

Survival runs on what you find. Explore frozen cities, buried forests, caves and camps for resources and rare loot, craft tools and gear at your workbench, and hunt for food. Some places, like the reworked Bone Cave, hide dangerous encounters, so check before you walk in.

8. Choose who to trust

You'll meet survivors, raiders and rival factions. Horizon is a hidden community built by survivor Robyn Cane, where you can catch your breath. Keep an eye out for Mule, a trader who travels from settlement to settlement, because he doesn't stay anywhere long.

Image: SpaceRocket Games

How does Permafrost co-op work?

You can play the whole game solo or in online co-op with up to four players, meaning you plus three friends. The developers call it "symbiotic" co-op: you build shelter networks together, split the jobs and play to each other's strengths. Co-op doesn't make the world easier, it just means you're not alone in it. The launch version also included co-op improvements based on the preview feedback.

Co-op tips: give each player a role (scavenger, builder, hunter, scout), share shelters so everyone can warm up on the move, and don't split up before a storm.

Image: SpaceRocket Games

Does Permafrost have dedicated servers?

Not at the moment. SpaceRocket Games and Toplitz Productions haven't announced dedicated servers or released dedicated server files for Permafrost, and the official Early Access roadmap doesn't list them. Co-op is designed around small groups of up to four, so for now your group plays together in a session started by one of you.

Some game-server hosting companies are already advertising Permafrost servers. Until the developers officially release server support, treat those as pre-orders rather than a confirmed feature. We'll update this guide as soon as dedicated servers are announced.

Permafrost PC system requirements

Steam lists partial controller support, Steam Cloud saves, achievements and Family Sharing. The launch version added rebindable movement keys, one of the most requested changes from the preview, along with performance improvements.

How much is Permafrost, and which edition should you buy?

Permafrost costs $24.99 / £21.99, with a 20% launch discount ($19.99 / £17.59 on Steam) until October 23. Regional pricing applies. There are three ways to buy it:

• Standard: the base game.
• Companion Edition: the game plus the Official Companion digital book.
• Ultimate Edition: everything in the Companion Edition, plus the Official Cookbook, the original soundtrack and the Permafrost novel, Frozen Metropolis.

The extras are digital books and music, not in-game advantages, so the standard edition is all you need to play.

Watch the Permafrost Early Access launch trailer

What's on the Permafrost Early Access roadmap?

SpaceRocket Games has shared its first four post-launch updates:

• Update 1: better combat animations for melee and bows, a map content update with new chests, hidden treasures, recipes and items, quality-of-life improvements for crafting, building and inventory, plus new firearms and clothing sets.
• Update 2: weapon parts in crafting so you can build more weapons yourself, more firearms, more side quests and more of the story.
• Update 3: the sledgehammer, a new tool for smashing obstacles and new destructible objects while scavenging, plus two new firearms.
• Update 4: a new and most dangerous biome, White Hell, with new enemies, locations and its own story, plus four new firearms, a new torch type and more quality-of-life upgrades.

No dates have been given yet. Across the whole Early Access period, the plan is to add more biomes, quests, NPCs, enemies, equipment and vehicles.

How long will Permafrost be in Early Access?

The developers don't know yet, but plan to stay in Early Access for at least 12 months. They say the core premise won't change, and that the Discord server will be the main place to suggest features and report feedback.

We'll update this Permafrost guide with every major Early Access update, starting with Update 1.

More survival games on iGame Magazine

• Permafrost release date and Early Access details – how the launch was announced
• DayZ Badlands guide – survive another harsh new map
• Enshrouded 1.0 guide – another survival game out in October

Permafrost guide FAQ