The Long Dark: IRON ROAD expansion launches in Early Access

The Long Dark is breaking new ground: Hinterland Studio has launched the IRON ROAD expansion in Early Access. Since 27 October 2026 you have been exploring a new island chain with a mysterious prototype train.

IRON ROAD is a paid expansion for The Long Dark and launched on Steam on 27 October at 7 pm German time. Unlike earlier expansions, it starts in Early Access and will grow piece by piece over the coming months.

The Long Dark Iron Road – settlement in front of mountains on Cauldron Island — Cauldron Island is the first of five islands (Image: Hinterland Studio)

The Long Dark Iron Road – lighthouse on the cliffs — Cauldron Island is the first of five islands (Image: Hinterland Studio)

IRON ROAD: through the wilderness by train

At the centre is a prototype train that was hidden for around a hundred years. It is both a means of transport and a mobile shelter: you can store supplies in it, warm up and ride it across the islands' tracks. In total more than 100 kilometres of track are planned, with around 30 kilometres drivable at launch.

The Long Dark Iron Road – Prototype Train in the engine shed — The Prototype Train was hidden for a hundred years (Image: Hinterland Studio)

Cauldron Island is the first of five islands

At launch Cauldron Island is playable, the first of five planned islands. The barren coastal landscape is shaped by the old whaling industry. With the boat Fulmar you can also cross over to the familiar island of Great Bear and commute between the old and new game world.

The Long Dark Iron Road – wreck in the fog — Traces of McLeod's empire are everywhere (Image: Hinterland Studio)

The story is also continued. You come across traces of the industrialist Hamish McLeod and his daughter Alice. There are also 16 wax cylinders to collect, which hold parts of the story.

New gear: whale oil heater

New additions include a portable whale oil heater that lets you keep warm away from fireplaces. In a game where the cold is your greatest enemy, that is quite an important addition.

The Long Dark Iron Road – steaming train — The train is both transport and mobile shelter (Image: Hinterland Studio)

Price, Early Access and consoles

IRON ROAD costs 24.49 euros on Steam, with a ten percent launch discount to 22.04 euros. Hinterland has announced that the price will rise during Early Access: in dollars first to 29.99 and to 34.99 at version 1.0. Early Access is expected to last around 18 to 24 months. Console versions will follow later. You need the base game to play.

The first players are impressed: around 80 percent of the first 121 reviews on Steam are positive. You can read what we think of the base game in our review of The Long Dark.