The Alters Wiki
The Alters is a narrative-driven sci-fi survival and base-building game from 11 bit studios (This War of Mine, Frostpunk), built on Unreal Engine 5. It launched June 13, 2025 on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S, going on to win a DICE Award for Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year and earn a BAFTA nomination for Best Narrative.
The Premise
You play Jan Dolski, the lone survivor of a crashed space expedition on a hostile planet turning toward a massive sun, with radiation levels soaring by the hour. To survive, Jan harnesses a mysterious alien substance called Rapidium to create Alters -- cloned versions of himself shaped by the different life choices he could have made, such as a mechanic, a scientist, or a chef. Managing a mobile, wheel-shaped base and the psychological and moral complexity of confronting versions of who he could have been forms the emotional core of the game.
Last Variable: A 20-Hour Story Expansion
Released July 13, 2026 on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S, Last Variable is a paid story DLC continuing directly from one specific base-game ending -- the one where Jan Scientist chooses to stay on the planet. It's a substantial expansion, with an estimated 20 hours of new story content.
The Story of Last Variable
Years have passed since Jan Scientist refused to leave. The world around him has transformed, and he confronts what he's always feared: this work cannot be done alone. So he begins creating again -- more Alters, each shaped by a different scientific specialty: a Geologist, a Biologist, a Chemist, and a Physicist, together covering every angle needed to study the planet's central mystery, a phenomenon known as the Oasis. As his team of specialized Alters grows, so does the tension -- each convinced their own vision of science is correct, testing whether the group holds together or fractures under the pressure.
New Systems in Last Variable
The expansion introduces Field Labs, offering the Alters refuge to conduct research during surface expeditions -- though aging without the protection of cryosleep remains an unavoidable cost. New mechanics include terraforming previously barren sectors, mastering new soil types and components, developing new research modules, and navigating an escalating planetary defense mechanism: stronger earthquakes, severe radiation waves, and other threats becoming increasingly common as progress continues.