ByYurii LuzhkoUpdated July 26, 2026

Kenshi 2: Everything We Know

Kenshi 2 is the upcoming prequel to Lo-Fi Games' cult open-ended squad RPG. It is set roughly a thousand years before the original and rebuilt on Unreal Engine 5. There is no release date yet — here is every confirmed fact, with sources, updated as Lo-Fi shares more.

Kenshi 2 at a glance

Developer: Lo-Fi Games
Type: Prequel (~1,000 years earlier)
Engine: Unreal Engine 5 (was OGRE)
Release date: Unannounced (TBA)
Announced: March 2019
Early Access: Likely none

Kenshi 2 release date

There is no confirmed Kenshi 2 release date. Lo-Fi Games announced the sequel back in March 2019 and it has been in development since, but the studio has deliberately avoided committing to a date or window. Unlike the first game — which launched into Steam Early Access in 2013 to fund development — Lo-Fi has indicated Kenshi 2 likely won't need an Early Access campaign, since Kenshi has sold more than 3 million copies. That removes the funding pressure to ship early, so a full 1.0 launch (rather than a years-long Early Access) is the expected path.

What's new in Kenshi 2

A new engine. The original Kenshi ran on the open-source OGRE engine, which limited its scale, lighting and performance. Kenshi 2 has been rebuilt on Unreal Engine 5 — the single biggest technical change, aimed at a larger, denser and better-performing world while keeping the freeform, no-hand-holding design intact.

An earlier era of the same world. As a prequel set ~1,000 years before Kenshi, the setting is the same harsh planet at a higher-tech, pre-collapse point in its timeline — the groundwork for the ruins, factions and tech artifacts scavengers dig up in the first game. Lo-Fi has said it wants the sequel's discoveries to feel even less predictable than the original's, so veterans can't rely on memorised maps and routes.

Kenshi 2 vs Kenshi 1

	Kenshi	Kenshi 2
Timeline	The present-day wasteland	~1,000 years earlier (prequel)
Engine	OGRE	Unreal Engine 5
Released	Dec 6, 2018 (1.0)	Unannounced
Early Access	Yes (2013–2018)	Likely none
Developer	Lo-Fi Games	Lo-Fi Games

Should you play Kenshi now or wait for Kenshi 2?

Play the first Kenshi now. It is finished, endlessly replayable, and there is no Kenshi 2 date to wait for. Because the sequel is a prequelwith its own standalone story, nothing you do in Kenshi will be spoiled or made redundant. If you're starting out, our Kenshi map, the research tech-tree planner, the faction guide and the race breakdown cover everything a first run needs.

Kenshi 2 FAQ

Does Kenshi 2 have a release date?

No. As of July 2026 Lo-Fi Games has not announced a release date or window for Kenshi 2 — it remains "to be announced" and is still in active development. The studio has said it will post official updates on its own site and Steam rather than committing to a date early.

Is Kenshi 2 a prequel or a sequel?

Kenshi 2 is a prequel. It is set roughly 1,000 years before the original Kenshi, in the same post-apocalyptic world but an earlier, higher-tech era of its history — so it explains how the wasteland of the first game came to be, rather than continuing the story forward.

What engine is Kenshi 2 using?

Unreal Engine 5. The original Kenshi ran on the ageing OGRE engine, which capped its scale and performance; Lo-Fi Games rebuilt Kenshi 2 on Unreal Engine, a major change aimed at a larger, better-performing world.

Will Kenshi 2 launch in Early Access?

Probably not. Lo-Fi Games has indicated Kenshi 2 likely will not need a Steam Early Access campaign the way the first game did — Kenshi's success (3+ million copies sold) means the studio no longer depends on Early Access funding to finish the game.

Should I buy Kenshi now or wait for Kenshi 2?

Play the first Kenshi now. It is complete, sits in most players' top-rated open-world RPGs, and there is no Kenshi 2 release date to wait for. Kenshi 2 is a prequel with its own separate story, so nothing in the first game will be "spoiled" or wasted — the two stand alone.

Will Kenshi 2 have mods?

Mod support has not been officially detailed. Modding is central to the first Kenshi's longevity (thousands of Steam Workshop mods and the free FCS editor), so a modding scene is widely expected, but nothing about Kenshi 2's mod tools has been formally confirmed. We'll update this page when Lo-Fi announces details.