Ukraine Studio's Game Unveiled
Kyiv-Based Frogwares Announces The Sinking City 2 August 2026 Launch and Surprise PC Demo
Frogwares used the Future Games Show Summer Showcase to announce that The Sinking City 2 will launch on August 18, 2026 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. The studio also released a surprise one-hour demo on Steam that covers the game’s opening hour and introduces the new protagonist, occult adventurer Calvin Rafferty, as he investigates the flooded, Eldritch-infested city of Arkham. A new trailer highlights the sequel’s Lovecraftian enemies and emphasizes the survival-horror framing, building on feedback that the first game’s open-world scope spread its mystery too thin. Several outlets previewing the demo said it feels more focused than the original, echoing classic survival horror DNA while still offering exploration within levels. Frogwares said the project has been shaped by disruption from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, including shifting timelines and delays. With the release date now set, the Kyiv-based team described the announcement as a long-awaited milestone after years of uncertainty.
Key Points
Frogwares said development has been underway since January 2023, with a team of “90+ person” staff and “the majority… based in Ukraine.”
The studio tied its August release timing to Ukraine’s security situation, saying that even after they picked a release date internally, “that very Sunday… cities across the country came under some of the worst attacks,” which “felt like some vindictive force reminding us not to celebrate too much.”
A new look at Arkham in the demo/trailer includes more specific Mythos creatures—such as “zombies with bulging fleshy weak spots to shoot”—and also references a “sultry mermaid” among the sequel’s grotesque inhabitants.
Frogwares described the release-date announcement as enabling the team to evaluate remaining work and prepare the game for launch “as a self-published title.”
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