What you need to know
- Hades 2 is the planned sequel to Hades, the 2020 roguelike hit developed and published by Supergiant Games.
- First announced at the Game Awards 2022, Hades 2 was originally planned to enter early access at some point in 2023.
- Hades 2 will now be released in early access in Q2 2024 on Windows PC via Steam and the Epic Game Store.
If you've been waiting to return to the Underworld, you'll have to hold on a bit longer.
Developer and publisher Supergiant Games shared on Thursday that Hades 2 will be launching in early access at some point in Q2 2024. When the game was first revealed back during the Game Awards 2022, the studio intended for an early access build to be available in 2023, but have explained now that it needs more time in order to be as satisfying an experience as possible.
"You may be wondering, why can't we launch in Early Access, like, right now?! The game looked pretty far along in the first trailer! The reason is, Hades II will have at least as much content from day one in Early Access as the original game did back when it launched in Early Access on Steam," the studio explains.
"And, even though Early Access inherently means a game is not yet complete, we still want to do everything we can to make sure Hades II is worth your while as soon as you can play it in any capacity."
Ahead of the early access launch, there will also be a limited technical test of the game available for a handful of players, though there aren't many other details right now.
Supergiant Games also notes that the studio has a bit of a better idea what to expect from early access this time around, and believes the team is in a "sweet spot" when it comes to having a lot done already while still leaving room for player feedback. When Hades 2 launches in early access, it'll be available on Windows PC via Steam and the Epic Game Store.
Analysis: 2023 is packed, a soft launch next year is fine
As much as I'm looking forward to Hades 2, I never particularly believed it would make its early access launch this year, and that's perfectly fine. Hopefully, when it arrives sometime in Q2 next year, players won't have to wait too long for the full release if they'd prefer to wait for the complete experience.
Still, I absolutely loved the first Hades, so I can't wait to see what's in store for the new protagonist Melinoe and her attempts to take down Chronos, the Titan of Time.
