The Long Dark Story Mode Launches in Spring 2016

Hinterland Studios has announced the first details of their long-awaited Story Mode for the developer's exploration survival game The Long Dark. 

Following a global disaster, the game tasks the players with surviving in the hostile environment of the Canadian wilderness. 

Part One of Season One of the game's Story Mode launches in Spring 2016, with the remainder to be released episodically throughout 2016. Playing as both doctor Astrid Greenwood and bush pilot Will Mackenzie, you'll have to guide them through the struggle to survive the 'First Flare' event. 

When it launches The Long Dark will include both Sandbox Mode and Season One of Story Mode, the former offers 100s of hours of gameplay while the latter can last up to four. Additional episodes will last two to three hours, with Season One Story Mode expected to be 10 to 12 hours in all. 

While the core gameplay mechanics in Story Mode are derived from Sandbox Mode, the permadeath feature has been replaced with a progression-based save system. Around 25-30% of the Story Mode will be set in new areas, with the rest coming from Sandbox Mode. 

“After keeping our community in the dark about our plans for Story Mode, we’re thrilled to finally be able to reveal some details of what we’ve been working on alongside the over 75 updates we’ve made to Sandbox Mode over the last year,” Raphael van Lierop, founder and creative director at Hinterland, and writer/director on The Long Dark commented in a press release. “Our success on Early Access proved there’s an audience for a more thoughtful survival experience, and the resources we’ve been able to invest in the game will help us pursue our ambitions around storytelling as we continue to expand this world. We see a bright future for The Long Dark, and are committed to a long-term relationship with our players.” 

The game has sold more than 550,000 copies through Steam Early Access and the Xbox One Game Preview program. Those who've already purchased the game will not need to pay extra for the additional content but the current price of $19.99 will increase at launch due to the extra content included.