At the Opening Night Live event of Gamescom early this morning, Amplitude Studios officially announced Humankind 2, the sequel to its 2021 historical 4X strategy game, Humankind. The trailer focuses on atmospheric presentation, with a small amount of gameplay footage shown at the end, and the developers also released a detailed description of the gameplay.
Trailer:
According to Amplitude, Humankind 2 will present “a fresh take on historical strategy games,” featuring entirely new progression systems, innovative features, enhanced visuals, a modernized UI, and numerous gameplay improvements.
In terms of core mechanics, the game continues and deepens the concept of cultural fusion: in each new era, players can choose a culture to expand and deepen their civilization's identity, unlocking exclusive customs through a rich cultural development tree. The interweaving of multiple cultural influences will shape unique civilizations, offering unprecedented personalization, coherence, and continuity across different eras.
“Each era brings an opportunity to redefine the future of your empire—you can follow the course of history or diverge from it to create a story entirely your own,” states the official description. The game will also introduce new historical chapters from around the world, covering more civilizations such as the Sakas, Etruscans, and Scythians, creating a richer and more historically grounded exploration experience.
Additionally, the game confirms the inclusion of a dynamic climate change system—shifting climates will alter the terrain of the strategic map across different eras. Players will need to adapt their cities and economies to changing ecological zones, protect critical resources, and balance short-term growth against long-term consequences that may last for generations.
Consistent with its predecessor, Amplitude will continue to adopt a “co-development with the community” model, carrying out an Early Access-like collaborative process through its Amplifiers program. Interested players can now sign up to participate.
Humankind 2 is scheduled for release in 2027, with platforms yet to be announced. The original Humankind evolved significantly through continuous updates after launch, and new mechanics in this sequel, such as climate change, may become key variables propelling the series to new heights.
Video Screenshot:
