Permafrost doubles its Steam playtest to two hours before the October 6 cutoff

Permafrost testers now have a two-hour allowance on Steam following the developer’s October 3 extension. If you already used the original hour, you can return for one more. Previously played time still counts against the new total.

The playtest closes on Tuesday, October 6 at noon UTC, which is 8 a.m. EDT or 5 a.m. PDT. The cutoff applies even if you have time left. You get longer to try the frozen-world survival game, but the event itself still ends on the same day.

How to get into the test

A second round of invitations has been sent, and the team says previously registered players should check their Steam libraries. New applicants can use Request Access on the store page. Steam will notify you when the developer is ready to admit more participants, so a request is not an immediate ticket into the game.

The playtest notice says the clock starts when you launch the game, including time spent creating a character. Wait until you are ready to play before opening it. Admitted players also receive three friend invitations, enough to assemble a four-player group.

Building a way through the cold

Permafrost is SpaceRocket Games’ open-world survival game for solo players or groups of up to four. Publisher Toplitz Productions describes expeditions through frozen cities and wilderness, gathering supplies, crafting equipment and restoring shelters. Severe weather makes preparation part of the journey.

You play Rook, an engineer drawn into the region by a radio signal from an old friend. A dog helps scout, warn of danger and carry supplies. The official screenshots show snowy exploration alongside indoor crops.

The test comes before the Early Access release

Steam lists Windows system requirements and English voice acting, interface and subtitles. Check your hardware before launching the timed test. Our guide to finding out whether a game will run on your PC explains how to compare the components without treating minimum requirements as a frame-rate guarantee.

The planned Steam release is October 9, after this test closes on October 6. It will launch in Early Access, which means the game is still in development. October 9 is the start of that unfinished release, rather than a date for version 1.0.