Winter Survival News

[p]The cold has carried you far.

From the first desperate scramble to find shelter, through each fire lit against the dark, you’ve fought tooth and nail to stay alive. ACT II ended with steel, grit, and courage – the ride that tore through the night and shattered the barrier standing in your way. The gates fell, but beyond them… a land unknown awaits.[/p][p][/p][h2]ACT III – A New Land, A New Threat 🏝️[/h2][p]Winter Survival’s third act will bring the toughest challenges yet, closing the story while expanding survival in new directions. With the gate behind you, you’ll step into a new environment unlike anything seen before.[/p][p][/p][p]Here, snow begins to give way to something else – unstable ground, murky water, and an atmosphere heavy with tension. Paths twist and vanish into mist. Landmarks shift. What once felt solid no longer is. Nature has changed its shape, and so too must your instincts if you’re to endure.[/p][p][/p][p]But the land doesn’t just look different – it behaves differently. What stood tall can fall without warning, cutting off routes, reshaping trails, and forcing you to adapt quickly. Survival here means more than warmth and food – it means awareness, timing, and caution at every step.[/p][p][/p][h2]New Gameplay Challenges[/h2][p]With this act, the ways you interact with the world expand once again.[/p]

• [p]New environment: The swampy region introduces terrain where movement itself becomes a risk.[/p]
• [p]More Dynamic Events: The forest no longer feels still. Trees collapse unexpectedly, or maybe someone is “helping” them to collapse?[/p]
• [p]Evolving survival: Resources grow scarcer, choices harder. Familiar tools won’t always give the same comfort they once did.[/p]

[h2]Closing the Story[/h2][p]ACT III doesn’t just bring new dangers. It brings answers. The story that has followed you since your first waking breath in this frozen nightmare begins to tie together. Every decision you’ve made across ACT I and II will resonate louder as you approach the conclusion.[/p][p][/p][p]The world will no longer remain silent about what has happened here. The shadows that haunted you, the figures glimpsed in firelight, the whispers carried by the wind – ACT III brings them forward. Some questions will be answered. Some will be left to linger. But your journey will find its end.[/p][h2]The Road Ahead[/h2][p]ACT III is more than just a continuation – it’s the culmination. A new region to test your survival. New challenges that break the patterns you’ve grown used to. And the final steps in a story that has carried you from frostbitten nights to gates torn open by fire. You’ve come this far. But what lies ahead will demand more than ever before. Keep your fire burning. The end is near.[/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p]~Sewek[/p]

[p]Hey, survivors! [/p][p][/p][p]First of all, we're so grateful for the amount of feedback we've received so far. Thanks your invaluable contribution to the development, we've managed to find the solution to some of those pesky issues that you've encountered during your gameplay session. Rest assured, we still have a couple of days to finish the playtesting session, so if you're still up for the challenge make sure to fill this form. [/p][p][/p][p]And for now, let's see the patch notes, shall we?[/p][p][/p][h2]Bugfixes[/h2]

• [p]Fixed a bug in Act II where placing a new shelter firepit did not complete the “Upgrade your shelter” quest objective.[/p]
• [p]Fixed a bug where large branches became disproportionately large after loading the game. (Won’t work on old saves, need to load the game before the bug and overwrite the save)[/p]
• [p]Fixed a bug where the torch was missing HUD tips on how to use it.[/p]
• [p]Fixed a bug in Pages of the Past – Betrayal where pressing the B button during an animation blocked player input.[/p]
• [p]Fixed a bug in Act II where the bear could destroy the cowcatcher. (Won’t work on old saves, need to load the game before the bug and overwrite the save)[/p]
• [p]Fixed a bug in Act III where Joel’s shelter fireplace did not heat up Joel.[/p]
• [p]Fixed a bug in Act III where the character became stuck after loading an autosave made after talking with Charles.[/p]
• [p]Fixed a bug where having screen space reflections off by default caused caves to look visually incorrect.[/p]
• [p]Fixed a bug where pressing the B button multiple times while holding a gun caused sensitivity to change unexpectedly.[/p]
• [p]Fixed a bug where wooden foundations were labeled as “Test foundation” on the pop-up after placement.[/p]
• [p]Fixed a bug in fishing where recipes for generic bait and bread bait were missing in story mode.[/p]
• [p]Fixed a bug in Act III where stepping into snitch mannequin shards could cause the player to get stuck and fall off the map.[/p]
• [p]Fixed a crash caused by Joel’s Widget, leading to a FatalMemoryLeak.[/p]
• [p]Fixed a bug in Act I where the expected campfire schematics were not given.[/p]
• [p]Fixed a bug where pressing V during the rope climb or abseiling animation could result in loss of input.[/p]
• [p]Fixed a bug in Act I where bear tracks near the hut were floating above the ground.[/p]
• [p]Fixed a bug in the Introduction where camera movement was not blocked after a bear attack, even while still inside the hidey hole.[/p]
• [p]Fixed a bug in Fear of the Graves where insanity increased too rapidly.[/p]
• [p]Fixed a bug in Act II where players could fall off the map in the exit cave during Echoes of Sabotage III.[/p]
• [p]Fixed a bug where a shelf was missing in the warehouse next to the puzzle house.[/p]

[h2]
Known Issues[/h2][p]We're also aware of below issues, and you can expect an update coming soon with the fixes. Meanwhile, you can check it out below to see it for yourself. [/p]

• [p]Right-mouse-button input may stop working randomly.[/p]
• [p]In-game bug reporter does not pause the game.[/p]
• [p]In Act II, players may fall off the map in the exit cave during Echoes of Sabotage[/p]
• [p]The locked door in the escape room is missing.[/p]
• [p]In Act III, Marshal’s walkie-talkie sound may still play even when Marshal is not nearby.[/p]
• [p]In the Introduction, the red death UI outline may not disappear after respawning.[/p]
• [p]Players may get stuck on the fireplace or campfire UI.[/p]
• [p]The bug reporter may break if a report is sent before the first save.[/p]
• [p]Players may encounter an issue where they cannot interact with anything. (Reloading the game may help with the issue)[/p]
• [p]Heat may drop during sleep even when sleeping close to a fireplace.[/p]
• [p]It is possible to get non-English language settings on the experimental branch.[/p]
• [p]The torch flame remaining is not displayed on the tooltip in the inventory[/p]
• [p]In Act I, players can obtain the spear holder, gun holder, and bear armor slots before acquiring the corresponding items in story mode.[/p]
• [p]In Act I, it is possible to build structures in the Hunter’s Hut attic.[/p]
• [p]In Act III, Snitches on the road to the harbour may be invisible.[/p]
• [p]In Act III, players may fall out of the map when entering water in the harbor.[/p]
• [p]In Act II, the Bear’s health bar may be displayed continuously from the start of the Tracked Down event.[/p]

[p]
[/p]

Hey Survivors! ❄️

Just a quick follow-up to our recent announcement about the Winter Survival playtests — this one's for all of you who already own the game.

If you'd like to actively take part in the playtests, we’d love to have you on board! Just head over to our official DRAGO Discord server – in the #newsroom channel, you’ll find a pinned message with instructions. From there, please reach out to our Community Manager (Kinia!), who will assign you the special playtester role and unlock access to all the dedicated channels.

Your feedback means a lot to us, especially since you’ve been with us through Early Access and know the game well. We’re really counting on your insights to help us polish the final stages.

To join the experimental playtest build, all you need to do is quickly sign the NDA and Privacy Policy using this form:

👉 https://forms.gle/epwH1Vk63RWaXzxq8

At the end of the form, you’ll receive the setup instructions.

We appreciate your time is valuable – thank you for being part of this journey. Let’s finish this survival story together 💪

See you on Discord!
https://discord.gg/dragoent

Survivors, we’ve got some updates for all of you who already picked up Winter Survival on Steam - as part of our upcoming playtest campaign, we’re also inviting current players to check out what’s coming next.

You’ll get the code to the experimental branch during the playtest, and you’ll be able to keep using it until the final version of the game is released.

[h3]Playtest Dates: August 7–15[/h3]
If you’d like to leave feedback, we’ll share full instructions and the code next week -
everything will happen on our official Discord server:
👉 https://discord.gg/dragoent

If you want to join us, claim the WS Playtester role!
🔧Your feedback matters. As someone who’s already survived the cold with us through Early Access, your voice is crucial in helping us shape the final experience.

Stay tuned!

[h2]❄️ Winter Survival Closed Playtest: Everything You Need to Know! ❄️[/h2]



Are you ready to test your survival skills in the brutal, ever-changing cold? We’re excited to announce the next Closed Playtest for Winter Survival! Mark your calendars, the test runs from August 7 to 15.

Whether you’re a returning survivor or facing the winter wilds for the first time, this is your chance to shape the game before full release. Here’s everything you need to jump in:

[h3]🔥 How to Join[/h3]
Want to join the Winter Survival Closed Playtest? It’s easy!
Just fill out the registration form available here 👉 Winter Survival Playtest Sign-Up

[h3]📢 Selection & Feedback[/h3]
Selection: Once registration closes, we’ll review all submissions. If you’re selected to participate, you’ll receive an email at the address provided in the form with all the details and next steps.
Watch your inbox! Selection emails will be sent out by August 1, 2025. If you don’t get selected this time, don’t worry—there will be more chances to play in future tests.

Feedback: Your insights are crucial! Bug reports, performance notes, and gameplay impressions help us refine the Winter Survival experience. We’re especially looking for feedback on gameplay, story, balance, clarity, game modes, survival mechanics, and what makes the world feel harsh (or not harsh enough!).

[h3]🏕️ What’s in This Playtest?[/h3]
This time, we’re excited for you to experience the improved Act I and Act II, plus—for the very first time—the brand new Act III!

Whether you’re revisiting the winter wilds or stepping in for the first time, you’ll get to:

• Explore and survive through all three acts, each with unique challenges and surprises.
  
• Test out new mechanics, big and small, introduced since the last playtest.
  
• Experience rebalanced, polished, and improved systems that make survival even more intense (and rewarding!)
  
• Help us stress-test the latest content and provide feedback that will shape the final game.
  

Your experience and feedback in this playtest are more important than ever. We’re counting on your insight to help push Winter Survival to the next level!

Play at your own pace—there are no time limits within the test window.

[h3]🗣️ Languages & Sharing[/h3]
Language: English only for this test.
Sharing: Please remember that this playtest is under NDA. We’d still love your feedback—just make sure to share it with us privately!

[h3]❓ Need Help?[/h3]
Have questions? Join our Discord or drop by our Steam forums. The devs and community are there to help.
Want to stay up to date? Follow us on Steam and our socials for news, behind-the-scenes peeks, and more.

[h3]💙 Our Aim[/h3]
Your feedback during this playtest means a lot to us. Since the Early Access launch, we’ve already learned a ton—and this next round of testing is key to shaping the final release. You’re helping us squash bugs, fine-tune survival mechanics, and improve performance across the board. We’re listening closely, so let us know what you think. And good luck out there—the cold doesn’t play fair!

[h2]🔥 Join Now![/h2]