Will There Be Kenshi 2?
Yes, Kenshi 2 is actively in development – though an official release date remains elusive. As a passionate fan ever since the original Kenshi‘s launch in 2018, I‘ve been closely tracking the sequel‘s progress and insider news to keep the community updated.
Lo-Fi Games, the tiny indie studio behind Kenshi, exploded onto the scene with their open world RPG blending freeform survival with squad-based combat and base building. Lifelong designer Chris Hunt originally started working on his "dream game" idea alone in 2006, slowly expanding his team through Early Access before finally launching to critical acclaim.
Kenshi‘s sales and reviews continue rising even 4 years post launch – sparking demand for a sequel.
Now Lo-Fi Games employs ~16 staff full time to develop the prequel follow-up. While Kenshi 2 enters its 4th year of production, Chris Hunt and team remain as tight-lipped as ever about revealing an exact release date. However, based on their development updates, tech upgrades, and behind the scenes progress – I‘m confident in their trajectory towards completion.
Revamped Engine and Technology
Lo-Fi Games caused some initial confusion by announcing Kenshi 2 so soon after the original‘s launch. Many fans wondered why they weren‘t continuing to expand the first game. The developers explained while they had ideas for tons more content, the limiting factor was their proprietary game engine.
The custom built engine powered Kenshi‘s seamless open world persistence, sandbox freedom, and squad combat – but it was complex and unwieldy. Upgrading visuals or adding new features became unfeasible over time. So they decided starting fresh in Unreal Engine 5 provided the best foundation.
Even in early stages, Kenshi 2 shows massive graphical improvements enabled by UE5.
This shift also enabled the studio to rework gameplay systems without previous constraints. The combat, animation, and UI see complete overhauls using UE5‘s enhanced capabilities. And the change bore fruit based on early pre-alpha footage showing significantly more responsive, modernized combat.
Meanwhile tools like seamless world streaming allow them to create a map 2.5x larger than the original for even more exploration potential. The team continues experimenting with adding mounts to traverse this vast open world. And Unreal 5‘s Chaos physics introduces destructible environments, material effects, and better item simulation.
"When It‘s Ready" Release Strategy
But even with better technology and flexibility, building such an intricate sandboxy game still requires time. When asked about a release window, Lo-Fi Games always reiterates some version of "it‘ll be ready when it‘s ready."
In a 2022 Reddit AMA, Chris explained:
"I started this project as a super ambitious hobby with no real restrictions on quality, features or release dates. I don‘t want to change that mentality now we have fans and funding behind us."
This fits with the studio‘s pattern on the first Kenshi – staying in Early Access nearly 5 years prior to its official 1.0 launch. However, Kenshi 2 has a pre-established fanbase eagerly awaiting its arrival compared to the original flying under the radar.
Reviewing other notable open world titles also suggests reasonable time expectations. Bethesda announced The Elder Scrolls 6 at E3 2018 – a similarly sprawling RPG expected to take over 10 years total before its speculative 2026-2027 launch.
Even discounting Kenshi 2‘s pre-production time, by that standard we could anticipate a release between 2025-2027 based on its 2018 announcement and 2022 pre-alpha footage.
Reading the Tea Leaves
Lacking concrete dates from the developers themselves, fans analyze every tidbit of info for clues. A common theory points to the studio‘scontinued Kenshi updates focusing strictly on bug fixes and engine upgrades. This signals the main team moved on rather than adding new content.
Activity on the Lo-Fi Games dev Trello board also hints at their progress albeit without context. We can chart advancement of features like combat animations, AI behaviors, weather systems etc. towards completion – though how that translates to release is uncertain.
Some speculate a 2024 Early Access launch lines up with their existing pace. However Chris Hunt directly shot this idea down in the Reddit AMA:
"I still consider Early Access as releasing an unfinished game, which I said I wouldn‘t do again after the first."
This fits his stated principles – no commitments to anyone‘s expectations until the game meets their ambitious vision 100%.
Wishful Thinking and Theories
In the absence of official word, fans proposed no shortage of hopes, rumors, and speculation about Kenshi 2 Features. These include:
- Mounted combat and war beasts
- 4 player drop-in coop
- Expanded faction politics and war simulation
- Skill trees and XP systems
- Magic and horror elements
- Multi-biome worlds e.g. wastelands + forests
- Quests and narrative RPG components
Ranging from reasonable to wildly improbable, their theories showcase what draws people to the Kenshi franchise. It uniquely blends an alien yet familiar setting, emergent sandbox gameplay, and strategic combat.
Early critic impressions praise the striking vision teased so far. PC Gamer said:
“Kenshi 2 takes the striking world of the original and elevates it with modern graphics and improved animations courtesy of UE5.”
As an avid fan myself, I share the community excitement and sky-high expectations for Kenshi 2.
The Long Wait Continues…For Now
In summary – yes, Kenshi 2 remains firmly in development with the finish line in sight. However as Lo-Fi Games stays true to their “ready when it’s ready” creed, an official release remains 1-3 years out most likely.
While the extended production time tests fans’ patience, the studio more than earned goodwill through the original’s redeeming qualities. And the sequel‘s ambition with its sprawling world, visual overhaul, and revamped mechanics deserve the necessary polish.
For now, interest and speculation around Kenshi 2 continues building. And the dedicated fanbase will eagerly anticipate launch day whenever the developers deem their next passion project finally complete. What are your thoughts and predictions? Let me know in the comments!
