When can we expect Slay the Spire 2? Fans of Slay the Spire have been eagerly awaiting Mega Crit’s next big project since the original game concluded its development in 2020. While there have been minor updates for bug fixes and Steam Deck compatibility, the first game has largely been complete for years.
Slay the Spire 2 was first unveiled at the Triple-I Initiative Showcase in April 2024 with a captivating animated trailer. The developers have confirmed that a new roster of slayers will join the adventure, including returning fan favorites like the Ironclad and The Silent. With over 1,000 years having passed since the Spire was last accessible, players can expect entirely new creatures and formidable monsters in this beloved roguelike game.
Slay the Spire 2 Release Date Estimate
Originally slated for a 2025 launch, Slay the Spire 2’s release date has been pushed back due to delays in its early access plans, now most likely arriving in late 2026. The game is confirmed for PC, MacOS, and Linux. There’s also a high probability it will make its way to Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox Series X|S, and iOS and Android devices, mirroring its predecessor’s widespread availability.
In the wake of the 2023 Unity fee policy changes, Mega Crit released a public statement condemning the proposed new terms by the engine’s creator. The company indicated that their latest game, which had been in development using Unity for two years, would be entirely migrated off the platform if these policy changes were implemented.
Mega Crit later confirmed in an official statement that Slay the Spire 2 has indeed fully transitioned from Unity and will now utilize Godot, a free and open-source cross-platform engine. Numerous indie games have been successfully built using Godot, ensuring that this change will not hinder Slay the Spire 2’s multi-platform launch. A price for the game has not yet been announced, and the developer has stated on community forums that Slay the Spire 2 will not feature microtransactions.
Slay the Spire 2 Early Access
Slay the Spire 2 is scheduled to enter Steam Early Access in March 2026, a detail revealed in a monthly newsletter from Megacrit. A blog post from September 2024 further clarified that the early access launch is planned for PC, MacOS, and Steam Deck (Linux).
The original game spent approximately 1.5 years in early access, exceeding its initial one-year estimate. The development team credits the game’s success to this early access period, as community feedback played a crucial role in bug reporting and translation efforts. Implementing new features based on community input can take time, making it challenging to predict the exact duration of the early access phase.
A prominent Slay the Spire content creator, FrostPrime, shared exclusive information from Casey Yano, co-founder of MegaCrit, during an August 12 livestream, confirming that the game is set to launch on a Thursday.
Slay the Spire 2 Story
The Spire was sealed following the events of the first game, where the Ironclad, Silent, Defect, and Watcher united to close off the tower infested with malevolent beings. After 1,000 years, the Spire’s doors have mysteriously reopened, awakening the colossal alien whale, Neow. This creature traditionally appears at the beginning of each run in the original game, bestowing blessings and items before players embark on their journey to ascend the tower once more.
According to the game’s lore, the four original characters were believed to be trapped in an eternal battle. However, the Defect and Watcher are conspicuously absent from the initial Slay the Spire 2 trailer. While there’s a possibility they might reappear later, currently, only four characters are confirmed for Slay the Spire 2.
Slay the Spire 2 Characters
The reveal trailer offered a glimpse of the Ironclad and Silent making their return, shown visiting a shop merchant and traversing new environments. As this duo approaches the Spire’s entrance, a third enigmatic character, a floating skeleton wielding a scythe, appears alongside them.
Additional information from the Slay the Spire 2 game page confirms this third character as the Necrobinder. This character is distinct for starting with only 35 health, a remarkably low amount compared to the Silent’s previous lowest starting health of 70. The Necrobinder’s description reveals, “A wandering lich who seeks to bind the forgotten corpse. Calls upon her trusty left hand, Osty in combat.”
On the game’s FAQ page, the developer indicated that the full character lineup for the early access period has not yet been disclosed. The specific mention of “early access” suggests that the full game might eventually feature more characters than those currently known.
Several clues hint at the potential return of the Defect and Watcher, with stronger indications for the Defect appearing sooner. Defect-exclusive relics from the first game are visible in the trailer, and the Merchant is depicted selling Defect cards in their shop.
Furthermore, the Defect is a robot, implying an indefinite lifespan. This opens the possibility of Neow resurrecting the Defect or providing it with the necessary power to return. The official Slay the Spire social media account has also frequently posted about players missing the Defect or its absence in the reveal trailer. By acknowledging this, fans hope it signals an impending reveal for the Defect before the game’s full launch.
A mysterious, unnamed fourth character was showcased at the conclusion of the first official gameplay trailer. This entity sports yellow, tentacled hands, a star-like face with a luminous center, blue sparkling robes, red pants, and golden shoulder armor, wielding a radiant golden star.
Slay the Spire 2 Trailers
The debut gameplay trailer unveiled an evolved Spire featuring winding paths, novel enemies, and familiar characters. The trailer commences with a slow zoom on a cryptic, blood-stained tome titled ‘Top Ways to Conquer the Spire,’ as its pages turn. The narrator ominously states, “You find this manuscript highly suspicious because it’s covered in blood.”
We witness the Silent confronting a new enemy type adorned with fungal growths. The Silent also engages in combat with what appears to be a new boss: a creature with grand, jewel-encrusted antlers, an icy white appearance, and a substantial health pool. It also possesses 40 stacks of an unidentified deer-like buff, the effect of which remains ambiguous.
The Necrobinder was also seen in action, with four cards in hand, including some new additions. Notably, an additional character, a disembodied skeletal hand named Osty, assists the Necrobinder in combat. A new ‘Doom’ system is introduced, impacting how some existing cards function. For instance, ‘Scourge+’ is shown to apply 17 Doom. The Necrobinder is depicted battling a large, segmented worm-like creature, each segment having its own health bar.
Slay the Spire 2 News
In the October 2024 edition of the ‘Neowsletter’, Megacrit’s monthly Slay the Spire 2 newsletter, the developer reflected on the first game’s art and the limitations imposed by budget and talent constraints. For the sequel, Megacrit is implementing significant changes to the art direction by hiring a dedicated full-time art director and animator. This strategic hiring aims to make Slay the Spire 2 feel substantially larger and more immersive than its predecessor, with the introduction of fresh characters, enemies, and environments.
The November 2024 issue detailed several upcoming game enhancements, including new visual effects for card selection, colored icons on the map screen, and a taller top bar to improve icon accessibility. The update also offered a sneak peek at a new enemy and a main menu pop-up designed to provide additional information about the player’s current run.
The February newsletter unveiled the new Enchantments mechanic, which allows players to upgrade cards, albeit with a minor drawback. The newsletter highlighted the existence of “meaningful and potentially run-defining Enchantments,” sparking excitement about their potential impact on gameplay.
March brought news of an upcoming Quest mechanic. The sole quest card showcased thus far, Byrdonis Egg, grants players a unique bird companion that assists in battles.
The April issue elaborated on the affliction system, where enemies can seize some of your cards and impose negative effects upon them. For example, an enemy might afflict a ‘Defend’ card with an additional effect that causes health loss upon playing it.
Megacrit is implementing significant revisions to existing cards, as revealed in the May issue, to refresh the returning classes. One example provided is ‘Blade Dance,’ a core card in the Silent’s shiv arsenal, which now includes the ‘Exhaust’ keyword. While this appears to weaken the card on paper, a future mechanic might counteract this. Additionally, the Silent gains a new keyword called ‘Sly,’ which automatically plays a card upon discarding it.
The event system is also undergoing a complete overhaul, compelling players to carefully weigh their choices when encountering a question mark on the map. With over 50 events planned for Slay the Spire 2, developers have removed options that allowed players to exit events without consequence. Although such rooms were rare in the first game, this change ensures that question mark encounters are no longer a consistently safe option when health is low.
The July issue offered the first look at colorless cards, including ‘Scrawl,’ a potent Watcher card reimagined as a playable option for all classes. In August, glimpses of new and returning relics and potions were shared. The meticulous detail in these relatively small icons is particularly striking, demonstrating the increased time and budget dedicated to the game’s art direction.
That summarizes all current knowledge regarding the Slay the Spire 2 release date. Stay tuned as this page will be updated with the latest information as it becomes available. In the meantime, explore our list of the best upcoming games to discover other exciting titles expected in 2025. You might also want to check out our selection of the best PC games, in case you missed out on incredible titles like the original Slay the Spire!