The Sinking City 2 Launches on Xbox, PlayStation and PC

Frogwares’ The Sinking City 2 is now available on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 and PC, following its launch on Tuesday 18 August. The single-player survival-horror sequel can be bought for PC through Steam, the Epic Games Store and GOG, while premium-edition customers on applicable digital storefronts received 24-hour early access from 17 August.

The game moves the series away from the detective-adventure structure of 2019’s The Sinking City and towards third-person survival horror. Players take the role of occult adventurer Calvin Rafferty, who heads to a flooded version of 1920s Arkham over the disappearance of his partner, Faye, and the supernatural crisis consuming the city.

Frogwares first revealed the sequel alongside Xbox in March 2024. At the time, the studio’s head of publishing, Sergey Oganesyan, said: “Combat and exploration are the main focus now, with the horror setting more prominent.” That is the central distinction for returning players: investigations remain in the game, but are optional rather than a mandatory route through the story.

A horror-first sequel rather than a direct repeat

The original game put players in the shoes of investigator Charles Reed in the flooded city of Oakmont, mixing open-world detective work with horror and combat. Its successor has a new lead character, a new city and a standalone story, meaning newcomers do not need to know the first game’s plot or its multiple endings.

According to Frogwares, optional investigations can still uncover supplies, upgrades, safer routes and useful information about enemies. However, the main experience is built around combat, resource management, puzzles, shortcuts and more constrained locations. The studio has also said it made the world smaller to improve the game’s flow and survival-horror pacing.

The game runs on Unreal Engine 5. Xbox lists support for 4K Ultra HD, ray tracing and 60fps+, alongside cloud saves and achievements. Cloud play is available through eligible Xbox Game Pass tiers, but Xbox says buyers must still own the game; it is not listed as included with the subscription.

UK prices and editions

On the UK PlayStation Store, the Standard Edition costs £39.99. The £44.99 Deluxe Edition adds the Arkham Field Kit, while the £49.99 Premium Edition includes the Field Kit and The Holloway Manor content. Sony also lists the Arkham Field Kit separately at £6.49 and Holloway Manor at £9.99.

Xbox’s UK store lists the Standard Edition from £46.74, the Deluxe Edition from £51.24 and the Premium Edition from £55.99. Its standalone Arkham Field Kit is listed at £7.39, with Holloway Manor at £11.99. Xbox also lists a pre-order bonus, the Chthonic Arsenal, containing the Shale Mary handgun, Breakwater shotgun and Tektite Tommy SMG.

Steam and GOG both list Standard, Deluxe and Premium editions, while GOG says its version is DRM-free and can be installed without GOG Galaxy. A UK-specific price was not confirmed on the official PC storefront pages accessed. PC Gamer has listed an expected price of £41.35, but buyers should check their chosen PC store before purchasing.

PC requirements are demanding

The listed minimum specification calls for Windows 11, an Intel Core i7-8700K or AMD Ryzen 5 3600X, 16GB of RAM and an Nvidia GTX 1070 or AMD RX 5700 with 8GB of VRAM. An SSD and 70GB of storage are required, with the target set at 1080p and 30fps on Low settings.

For 1440p at 60fps on Balanced settings, the recommended specification rises substantially: an Intel Core i5-14600K or AMD Ryzen 5 7600X, 32GB of RAM, and either an Nvidia RTX 4070 Ti or AMD RX 7900 XT with 12GB of VRAM. It is a notable requirement for a game priced alongside console releases, particularly for players hoping to use higher settings.

A delayed release after a difficult development

Frogwares had initially aimed to release the game in 2025, but moved it into 2026 in October last year. The studio cited the practical impact of developing during the war in Ukraine, including missile and drone attacks and power outages, as well as the challenge of creating its first full survival-horror game.

“Developing a game during a war isn’t something you can ever really prepare for,” Frogwares head of publishing Sergiy Oganesyan said in comments reported by PC Gamer.

The final 18 August date was confirmed in June alongside the “Welcome to Arkham” trailer and a roughly hour-long Steam demo covering the opening section. The game is rated PEGI 18 in the UK for extreme violence and strong language. For players deciding whether to take the plunge, the free opening demo remains the most direct way to test whether Frogwares’ more combat-led direction suits them.