Darkest Dungeon 2 Revealed As 2021 Early Access Epic Store Exclusive
"Lash your gear to the stagecoach, fix your eyes on the horizon, and prepare," declares Red Hook Studios, because Darkest Dungeon 2 is rolling into Early Access on the Epic Games Store next year. The game is a follow-up to the studio’s sanity-testing, horror-themed debut in which a diverse cast of flawed adventurers delve into the horrific consequences set off by a mysterious family legacy. The Lovecraft-inspired roguelike challenges players to conquer dungeons and battle through hell with ever-dwindling supplies and heroes that can suffer mental breakdown at any moment.
The indie RPG achieved popular and critical success when it first released, prompting a slew of games inspired by the title and leaving many fans holding a torch for a sequel. Red Hook lit a match in the beginning of this year by dropping an unexpected Darkest Dungeon 2 announcement trailer that set social media ablaze. Despite the intense interest the teaser sparked, the developers have been silent about plans for the game ever since and spent more visible time in 2020 working on other projects, like DLC for the original game.
After nearly a year with no official word on the studio’s upcoming project, Red Hook announced on Twitter today that Darkest Dungeon 2 would be releasing next year with a striking trailer. The video highlights the game’s familiar heroes fighting brutal foes in a hellish landscape. The game's signature 2D, gothic art style has been beautifully transformed for the trailer featuring a dramatic pan across a hectic battlefield. Again, the teaser reveals little about the game itself, but the end screen explains the game is releasing in Early Access on the Epic Games Store. This is not the first time a Darkest Dungeon game will have released in Early Access as the original game spent nearly a year open to fans before officially launching. However, coming first to the Epic Games Store is a notable change.
Red Hook’s choice to release on Epic’s platform may cause some controversy amongst fans. Several developers, including indie creators of Ooblets, found themselves on the receiving end of harassment and even threats when announcing the decision to make their games an Epic exclusives. Despite the backlash, many games have found success with Epic and the company has even recently made changes to its royalties policies, creating an amazing deal for indie developers.
Considering the long silence from the developers and the fact that 2020 has been generally something of a horror story itself, it is surprising and exciting news that Darkest Dungeon 2 is releasing in Early Access sometime next year. For fans interested in waiting until the 1.0 release, keep in mind the original game spent a long time in development, so it is possible that the sequel’s official launch might not come in 2021.
Source: Red Hook/Twitter, Red Hook/YouTube