Credit: Hinterland
The fifth and final story episode of The Long Dark will be released on March 31, 2026—more than eight years after the game’s original release.
The final episode is called “The Light at The End of All Things.” In addition to the release date, it also features a one-and-a-half-minute teaser trailer. In it, over various locations, a voiceover excitedly proclaims:
“I don’t know if anyone’s out there. But if you can hear me, find shelter immediately.”
According to Hinterland director Raphael van Lierop, most of The Light at the End of All Things’ content is already complete, but the team won’t be able to complete the remaining work by the end of 2025.
Hinterland will need the additional time for polishing, optimization, bug fixing, console certification with platform holders, as well as completing cinematics and the soundtrack.
The Long Dark is a survival game set in extreme cold and winter conditions. Players must manage their provisions, their surroundings, and factors such as hunger, thirst, body temperature, calories, and fatigue. In addition to the traditional survival mode, it also features a story mode, which was released episodically and will now receive its long-awaited conclusion.
It was previously reported that The Light at the End of All Things would be the largest episode yet, concluding The Long Dark’s story and setting the stage for the franchise’s future (games, films, TV series, and so on).