Game: FROSTHAVEN
Developer: Snapshot Games
Publisher: Arc Games
Based On: Isaac Childres’ board game (Cephalofair)
1.0 Launch: October 15, 2026
Available Now: Early Access on Steam & Epic
Genre: Tactical Turn-Based RPG
Players: Solo or online co-op
❄️ FROSTHAVEN leaves Early Access on October 15. Arc Games and Snapshot Games have released a new 1.0 gameplay trailer ahead of launch — and the full release brings the complete campaign, all 17 heroes, and a standalone demo.
⚖️ The Digital Version Is Finally Tackling the Hardest Part
Anyone who has opened a Gloomhaven-family box knows the real enemy isn’t a monster — it’s the rulebook, the setup, and the notes. These are some of the deepest tactical games ever made, and among the most demanding to learn.
A digital adaptation already handles the setup and the bookkeeping. What stands out in FROSTHAVEN’s 1.0 feature list is that it’s now going after the learning curve itself.
There’s a digital-only introduction called “Road to Frosthaven”, with a tutorial and redesigned UI displays built to teach the game’s systems more easily. That same introduction doubles as a standalone demo you can play before buying. There’s a fully implemented Codex covering lore, characters, creatures and biomes — with the release pointedly adding “no note-taking required.” And House Rules let you adjust the game to suit how you want to play.
That’s the adaptation doing what the physical box never could: teaching you, rather than trusting you to teach yourself.
Welcome to the Frozen North
The board game became the most funded board game in Kickstarter history. The video game has a pedigree to match — it’s being built by the studio co-founded by the designer of the original X-COM.
Arc Games and Snapshot Games have released a new gameplay trailer for FROSTHAVEN, the digital adaptation of Isaac Childres’ tactical board game, ahead of its full 1.0 launch on October 15. The game is playable now in Early Access on Steam and the Epic Games Store.
FROSTHAVEN is a tactical, turn-based, choice-driven RPG set in the depths of the Biting Sea. An ancient and immensely powerful artifact has started sending visions of unrest, and the heroes of the outpost must venture above and below the sea’s icy waters to secure it before it falls into the wrong hands. You can play alone or in online co-op.
What 1.0 Adds
The biggest news for current Early Access players is that the story is finally complete. The full campaign from the tabletop game arrives at 1.0, including its climactic final chapter, along with the last of the roster’s heroes.
📖 Full Campaign
The complete FROSTHAVEN story from the tabletop game, final chapter included.
🛡️ All 17 Heroes
The complete roster, with the final hero joining at launch.
🧭 Road to Frosthaven
A digital-only intro, tutorial and UI overhaul to ease you into its systems.
🎮 Standalone Demo
Try the Road to Frosthaven campaign before you buy.
🤝 Better Co-Op
Improved multiplayer systems and networking enhancements.
📜 House Rules
Customise gameplay rules to suit your preferred playstyle.
📚 Full Codex
Lore, characters, creatures and biomes, all in-game. No note-taking required.
🎬 Cinematics
A new opening cinematic, plus unlock videos introducing each new hero.
The X-COM Connection
🎯 A Tactics Pedigree That’s Hard to Beat
FROSTHAVEN is developed by Snapshot Games, a studio in Sofia, Bulgaria, founded in 2013 by Julian Gollop — the award-winning designer of the original X-COM games — alongside David Kaye.
Snapshot’s previous releases, Phoenix Point and Chaos Reborn, were both well received in the strategy space. The studio joined the Embracer Group in 2020 as a division of Saber Interactive.
It’s a fitting match. Gloomhaven and Frosthaven are designed around minimising randomness and rewarding planning — Cephalofair’s own stated philosophy is that player choices should matter more than luck. Putting that design in the hands of the person who helped define the tactical genre makes a lot of sense.
For Veterans and Newcomers Alike
❄️ A Spiritual Successor to Gloomhaven
FROSTHAVEN is positioned as a spiritual successor to Gloomhaven, with a new set of character classes, each with its own playstyle and abilities. Party composition, synergy between classes, risk and reward, and careful resource management are all central to progressing through the campaign.
Arc and Snapshot say veterans of the original board game or Gloomhaven “will feel right at home” — while newcomers get difficulty modes tailored to their skill level and improved quality-of-life features.
The board game’s reputation is part of the draw. Cephalofair describes FROSTHAVEN as the most funded board game in Kickstarter history, following Gloomhaven’s run as one of the most influential legacy-style dungeon crawlers ever made.
When and Where
📅 Early Access Now, 1.0 on October 15, 2026
FROSTHAVEN is available now in Early Access on Steam and the Epic Games Store, and launches into 1.0 on October 15, 2026 on both.
If you’re curious but not ready to commit, the standalone demo arriving with 1.0 — built on the new Road to Frosthaven introduction — looks like the ideal way in. For more information, visit the official site at playfrosthaven.com.
❄️ Tactical RPG
🎲 Turn-Based
🃏 Card-Driven Combat
🤝 Online Co-Op
🏰 Board Game Adaptation
🌑 Dark Fantasy
FROSTHAVEN launches into 1.0 on October 15, 2026 on Steam and the Epic Games Store.
Hi there! I’m Marie, also known as CtrlQueen. I’m passionate about keeping up with the latest in gaming news and sharing my insights. RPGs steal my heart with their rich narratives and immersive worlds, but I also love unwinding with fun, casual games. Whether you’re here for deep dives into game mechanics or just to chat about your favorite casual game, you’ve found the right place! Let’s game and explore together.
