Steam News10 November 20257mo ago

Artificial Extinction 2 Demo is LIVE!

Hello AE1 players. I’ve spent almost five years building the sequel as a solo developer, and with a trembling finger I finally clicked the “ Release ” button.

Full notes

Full Artificial Extinction update

Read the full published notes in a cleaner layout. The original post stays linked below.

Repeated intro

Hello AE1 players. I’ve spent almost five years building the sequel as a solo developer, and with a trembling finger I finally clicked the “ Release ” button. The free demo for Artificial Extinction 2 is now live on Steam.

What changed

0 fixes2 additions6 changes0 removals

UI and audio
Maps
Performance
Gameplay
Store

changedHello AE1 players. I’ve spent almost five years building the sequel as a solo developer, and with a trembling finger I finally clicked the “ Release ” button. The free demo for Artificial Extinction 2 is now live on Steam.

changedWhat is AE2?Artificial Extinction 2 combines RTS base-building with FPS combat and classic tower defense . You build turrets, mine resources, manage energy, and try to survive the waves while protecting your base. When things get rough, you can take direct control of your FPS soldier and fight to stabilize the battlefield.

changedWhat is AE2?Hybrid gameplay: Plan from above or jump into the FPS soldier

changedWhat is AE2?11 languages in the demo: English, Simplified Chinese, Japanese, Korean, German, French, Latin American Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Polish, Russian, Ukrainian

changedGameplay VideoAbout a week ago, SplatterCatGaming played the demo and did a great job with it. Once he understood the systems, he actually started to dominate the level:

addedA Note to AE1 PlayersSome of you asked whether I could continue evolving AE1 instead of building a sequel. I want to be transparent about this. The hybrid RTS/FPS control system, the new resource management, and the full tech tree in AE2 were not possible to implement inside AE1’s original structure. AE2 had to be rebuilt from the ground up.

What is AE2?

Artificial Extinction 2 combines RTS base-building with FPS combat and classic tower defense. You build turrets, mine resources, manage energy, and try to survive the waves while protecting your base. When things get rough, you can take direct control of your FPS soldier and fight to stabilize the battlefield.

Hybrid gameplay: Plan from above or jump into the FPS soldier
Deeper strategy: Energy, positioning, tech unlocks, timing
Dynamic enemy waves: Multiple attack routes and unit types
11 languages in the demoEnglish, Simplified Chinese, Japanese, Korean, German, French, Latin American Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Polish, Russian, Ukrainian

Gameplay Video

About a week ago, SplatterCatGaming played the demo and did a great job with it. Once he understood the systems, he actually started to dominate the level:

Play the Demo

You can try the demo here:

Artificial Extinction 2 Demo

A Note to AE1 Players

Some of you asked whether I could continue evolving AE1 instead of building a sequel. I want to be transparent about this. The hybrid RTS/FPS control system, the new resource management, and the full tech tree in AE2 were not possible to implement inside AE1’s original structure. AE2 had to be rebuilt from the ground up.

If I had tried to force these systems into AE1, development would have been even slower, unstable, and in some cases technically impossible. AE2 exists because I chose to build a proper foundation instead of fighting against the limitations of the original game.

I genuinely appreciate everyone who supported AE1 and saw potential in it. That support is the reason AE2 exists at all. As a sincere thank you, I want to give AE1 players a discount on AE2 when it launches. I’m currently exploring options, including a bundle or a Steam coupon, so that your support is rewarded directly.

I’d love for AE1 players to try the demo and see how far the gameplay has evolved. Your early support helped shape the direction of AE2, and I hope the new systems are something you can enjoy and be proud of.

Thank You

Thank you for your support. I poured my heart and soul into AE2 and I hope you have some fun defending against our future AI Overlords!

Source

Steam News / 10 November 2025

Open original post

Changelog.gg summarizes and formats this update. How we read updates.