Game: Frosthaven (1.0)
Developer: Snapshot Games
Publisher: Arc Games
Genre: Tactical RPG · Board Game Adaptation
Release: October 15, 2026 (Early Access July 2025)
Price: $39.99 ($27.99 until Oct 25)
Platforms: PC (Steam · Epic Games Store)
Steam Deck: Playable
❄️ How we reviewed it: we’ve played Frosthaven on PC since it entered Early Access in July 2025, when our Early Access review scored it 8.5/10, and returned for the full 1.0 launch. This verdict also draws on the experiences of players since release.
🌨️ Know this first: multiplayer has been hit and miss at launch. Frosthaven is Mostly Positive overall on Steam, but its recent reviews have dipped to Mixed, mostly because some groups have run into multiplayer desyncs since 1.0. Plenty of other groups report no problems at all, and solo play has drawn far fewer complaints. It’s 30% off ($27.99) until October 25, so if you’re buying mainly to play with friends, keep an eye on the patch notes.
📦 From Early Access to 1.0
Fifteen months after it entered Early Access, Frosthaven is finally complete. Version 1.0 brings the full board game campaign, including its climactic final chapter, and the full roster of 17 playable heroes, with the last one joining at launch.
It also adds a digital-only Road to Frosthaven introduction to ease newcomers in, a full in-game Codex covering lore, characters, creatures and biomes, customisable House Rules, improved onboarding and UI, enhanced co-op networking, a new opening cinematic and hero unlock videos. And if you’re on the fence, there’s now a standalone demo to try first.
Seventeen heroes, one frozen outpost, and no easy choices
Frosthaven is the digital adaptation of Isaac Childres’ acclaimed board game, the spiritual successor to Gloomhaven. It’s developed by Snapshot Games, the studio led by Julian Gollop, and published by Arc Games. Your mercenaries venture into the unforgiving northern frontier, fighting through a campaign of tough tactical scenarios with an ability-card system that demands careful planning, while building up the outpost of Frosthaven between missions.
When we first reviewed it in Early Access, our verdict was: Frosthaven brings the beloved board game to life with its engaging RPG elements and tough strategic battles. A must-try for fans of deep, challenging gameplay. Now that 1.0 is here, that still holds true, with one big caveat for multiplayer groups.
Gloomhaven, Upgraded
🃏 Ability Cards
Plan each round with your hand of cards, chaining devastating attacks and combos while keeping the party alive.
🛡️ 17 Heroes
Six starting classes, including the Banner Spear, Boneshaper, Drifter, Geminate, Blinkblade and Deathwalker, with more to unlock.
🏘️ The Outpost
Construct and upgrade buildings between scenarios to unlock new features and mechanics.
🗺️ Road to Frosthaven
A new digital-only introduction that teaches the systems before the main campaign.
Gloomhaven Digital fans will feel right at home, and the consensus among them is that Frosthaven is an upgrade in nearly every way: more interesting character builds, more engaging scenarios, and town management that builds on what came before. The starting classes can look overcomplicated at first, but one player says they click as soon as you start playing, with every turn after the planning phase feeling powerful and some great combo moves between characters.
⚙️ Quality of Life Over Cardboard
This is where the digital version really earns its place. It handles setup and teardown for you, and manages each scenario’s often unusual special rules, which one player says is a huge relief. One player who has spent dozens of hours with it calls it a significant improvement over the Gloomhaven app, thanks to the option to speed up animations and an undo button that lets you roll back actions, even across rounds.
One long-time fan now prefers it to the physical board game or Tabletop Simulator for their regular group, and another says the cutscene unlocks are a fun touch on top of the beautiful visuals.
Solo or Co-op?
🧍 Playing Solo
Players report far fewer problems when playing solo
One long-time player recommends running three characters, as controlling all four can be exhausting
Newcomers can start on easier difficulty modes
👥 Online Co-op (2–4)
One veteran says it’s better in multiplayer than solo when it works
With only one friend, the same player suggests two characters each, rather than the 2-player scaling
Some groups report crippling desyncs at launch, while others have had no issues at all
Still Very Much a Board Game
Frosthaven is a faithful tabletop adaptation, and that cuts both ways. As one player puts it, it has all the quirks, design choices and friction of a board game, plus a little clunkiness a purely digital game would probably avoid. The interface can be tricky to read, too, because of how complex the card interactions are. One player took a while to get used to the new icons and statuses.
Newcomers should also be warned that Frosthaven is a rockier introduction than Gloomhaven. One experienced player notes that some scenarios can be truly punishing, and that failing one is okay, and even expected. Thankfully, the game lets you fail forward: every failure is a chance to draw more events, build more in town, and come back stronger. The new Road to Frosthaven intro and Codex should help, too.
Where It Stumbles
⚠️ Cracks in the Ice1. Multiplayer desyncs. This is the big one. Several players hit desyncs right after the 1.0 launch, with one group of four unable to finish a single turn, and another desyncing twice before playing a card. Other groups of two and three report no disconnects or bugs at all, and one player wonders whether it’s a regional issue. If co-op is your main reason to buy, it may be worth waiting for a fix.
2. A launch hardlock and crashes. One group was hard-locked in the boss fight of the new digital-only Road to Frosthaven introduction, with an “Undefined Error” booting everyone to the menu, and also hit regular crashes. The good news is that autosaves and joining at the start of a round make most crashes recoverable.
3. Adaptation choices. One board game fan wishes players could decide ambiguous enemy and summon movements, which matter for classes like the Boneshaper and Deathwalker, rather than the game resolving them automatically. They also want each scenario’s special rules, like what spawns and when, shown more clearly.
4. A steep learning curve. It’s a deep, punishing tactical game, and newcomers should expect to fail a few scenarios as they learn.
♿ Difficulty, House Rules & Steam Deck
Newcomers can choose difficulty modes tailored to their skill level, and 1.0 adds customisable House Rules and an in-game Codex. Frosthaven is rated Playable on Steam Deck, though one player during Early Access found it needed a mouse and keyboard, so expect some control compromises.
Things to Know
📋 Before You Buy
• $39.99 on Steam, with a 30% launch discount ($27.99) until October 25. Also on the Epic Games Store
• Bundles: a Complete Edition with the Soundtrack + Art Book, a Frosthaven + Gloomhaven bundle and a Frosthaven + Sunderfolk bundle
• A standalone demo lets you try it first
• Single-player and 2–4 player online co-op · 38 achievements · Steam Cloud · 10 languages · requires a third-party EULA
• A big 50 GB install. The minimum is a GTX 960 / RX 570 with 8 GB RAM, and an RTX 3060 / RX 6600 with 16 GB RAM is recommended
The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly
The Good
The Bad
The Ugly
Deep Tactical CombatThe ability-card system is as brilliant as ever.
Board Game FrictionSome clunkiness carried over from the tabletop.
Multiplayer DesyncsSome groups can’t finish a turn at launch.
17 HeroesVaried classes and great party synergies.
A Busy InterfaceComplex cards and icons take time to read.
A Road to Frosthaven HardlockOne group was stuck at the intro’s boss.
Huge QoL UpgradesUndo, animation speed-up, and automatic setup and rules.
Steep for NewcomersPunishing scenarios, even with the new intro.
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The OutpostTown building that builds on Gloomhaven’s.
Automated AmbiguitiesEnemy and summon choices made for you.
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The Full CampaignThe complete board game story, plus a digital-only intro.
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The Verdict
Frosthaven 1.0 is the definitive way to play one of the best board games ever made, at least on a screen. The ability-card combat is as deep and satisfying as ever, the 17 heroes offer brilliant party synergies, and the digital quality-of-life features (undo, animation speed-ups, and automatic setup and rule-tracking) make it a big step up from Gloomhaven Digital.
What holds it back at launch is multiplayer. For a game built around playing with friends, desyncs that stop some groups from finishing a single turn are a serious problem, even if many others are playing without a hitch. Add a steep learning curve and some board game friction, and it isn’t for everyone.
The honest read: if you’re playing solo, or you loved Gloomhaven Digital, Frosthaven 1.0 is a must-buy, especially at 30% off. If you’re buying mainly for co-op, try the demo with your group first, or wait for the desync fixes.
Hello, I'm Flare, a devoted gamer deeply intertwined with the gaming world. Since childhood, video games have been my passion, offering endless joy in each adventure. My love for gaming extends into my professional life in game journalism. Each game is a new journey, a source of fascination and excitement, continually drawing me into its enthralling universe. Join my gaming journey. 👑
