Supergiant Games has surprise-released Hades 2 via Steam Early Access. That's right - the game is out right now.
Hades 2 was first announced back in 2022, and an Early Access release window for the roguelite sequel was subsequently revealed in September last year, with developer Supergiant confirming the game would launch sometime in 2024's second quarter.
Well, that's certainly been borne out by today's surprise launch; Hades 2 is now available on Steam via its Early Access program. No, you didn't turn over two pages at once; no release date was announced prior to this surprise launch.
Of course, this is an Early Access release, so you're not getting the full game; instead, it'll be a sort of sample platter of what you'll get when the full version comes out, similarly to how the original Hades launched.
Supergiant says that the original Hades was "designed...from the ground up" for Early Access, and that's true of this version too, with fan feedback helping to shape development on the project.
Unlike the original Hades, the sequel has launched on both Steam and the Epic Games Store, so if you've got a preference for one launcher or the other, you won't need to make a compromise.
Hades 2 is, as you've probably guessed, the sequel to 2020's roguelite actioner Hades. Unlike the first game, this one doesn't revolve around Zagreus; instead, you'll play as Melinoë, the Princess of the Underworld.
Melinoë will be tackling an entirely different world to Zagreus as she hacks and slashes her way towards the Titan Chronos, but she'll also enjoy the fickle favors of the Greek pantheon, so you can expect a similar experience to the first Hades, albeit with more bells and whistles.
Hades 2 is out now in Early Access across Steam and the Epic Games Store. You can check out our very own Tyler's preview of the game here, and you can head here to find out how this sequel differs from the first game.
