The Frostpunk Mobile Team recently released a long FAQ-type tweet (also available on their site), answering a few important questions concerning the gameplay, development, and, most importantly, the microtransactions in the game.

The tweet first explains the role of the two companies in the development process; and it’s clear that NetEase handles all the heavy lifting like content creation, game design, and programming, while 11 Bit Studios oversees the entire process, making sure the artwork, design and game mechanics are up to the mark. And since NetEase is involved, there are bound to be a bit of microtransactions in the game. 

Is It Pay To Win?

The exact details are unclear; however, the development team has mentioned that Frostpunk Mobile will be free-to-play and microtransactions would only be limited to the Serenity game mode, where players will be able to buy rare resources used mostly for aesthetic purposes or “architectural appearances” as per the post but are otherwise obtainable through normal gameplay. 

Frostpunk Mobile: More Information from the Development Team - Microtransactions, Alpha Dates and More

It seems that microtransactions only help the player gain resources faster, more directly from the store; there is nothing exclusive about it. However, that can always change with a future update as additional content rolls out and becomes readily available.

New Updates On Game Design  

The team is trying to mimic most of the original PC elements that the fans love, like the awesome soundtracks and the snow effects. A different version of the overhead scene with the burning generator in the middle is currently the only one in the game as per the development team, mainly because It’s hard to maintain that quality on a mobile device without affecting performance, especially the heavy snow effects. But the game is being optimized to run on any decent smartphone manufactured after 2015 with OpenGL ES 3, so if your phone can handle similar games like Clash Of clans or Fortnite, then you’re fine.

Frostpunk mobile is likely to be released as a single-player game, but they may add the multiplayer option in the future as additional content. Now in the post, they have mentioned that there will be two modes: Endurance mode and Serenity mode; as the name suggests, endurance is a “think carefully before you leap” type deal while serenity is a relaxing experience.         

Alpha Testing

The game will undergo its alpha testing phase this year, considering they have already opened the pre-registration. You can also visit their site for a sneak-peak at the art style and windy sound effects; let’s hope that the final game feels just as chilly.