Supergiant Games’ long-anticipated sequel entered Early Access on May 6 2024 and has been steadily expanding ever since. With the “Unseen Update”—the third and final content drop—landing in mid-June 2025, Hades II’s playable build is now feature-complete.
From here on, the team is focused on tying up narrative loose ends, adding achievements, and polishing every biome in preparation for the full 1.0 launch later in 2025.
Why the Unseen Update Matters
- Content Lock-In: New weapon aspects, Guardian trials, late-game events, and the last chunks of voiced dialogue are now in the game. Supergiant has confirmed no additional regions or mechanics will arrive before release.
- Balance & Accessibility: Sweeping tweaks to resource drops, difficulty curves, and color-blind modes have stabilized the experience for both newcomers and speed-runners.
- Lore Payoffs: Fresh interactions with Apollo, Hestia, and Moros deepen Melinoë’s quest against Chronos while hinting at the finale still under wraps.
Development Timeline So Far
| Milestone | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Early Access Launch | May 6 2024 | Windows (Steam/Epic) |
| macOS Parity Patch | Oct 2024 | Full feature set on Apple silicon |
| “Fields” Update | Sep 2024 | New biome, fifth weapon |
| “Rifts” Update | Feb 2025 | Arcana overhaul, familiars |
| “Unseen” Update | Jun 17 2025 | Final Early-Access content |
| Version 1.0 | Late 2025 | PC & macOS → Switch/Switch 2 (timed) → PS5/Xbox |
What You Can Play Today
- Five Core Weapons—each with multiple Aspects that radically shift combat style.
- Arcana Altar Board—30+ tarot-like cards that rewire boons, resources, or death-defiance limits.
- Familiars & Trials—owl, snake, and frog companions plus time-attack arenas that drop rare glyphs.
- Nine Zones (Including Secret Paths)—from the familiar Fields of Mourning to the newly unveiled Unseen Frontier, each crammed with reactive narrative beats.
- 60,000+ Steam Reviews averaging “Overwhelmingly Positive,” suggesting the sequel’s mechanical depth already rivals the original’s final form.
Platform & Pricing Outlook
- PC / macOS: Early Access costs $29.99 and includes the final release at no extra charge. A modest price rise is likely at 1.0.
- Nintendo Switch & Switch 2: Supergiant has locked in a timed exclusive for late 2025, mirroring Hades (2020)-to-Switch cadence.
- PlayStation 5 / Xbox Series X|S: Ports are planned once Switch exclusivity ends—realistically sometime in 2026.
- Steam Deck & Linux: Verified status remains; Proton ensures trouble-free runs on most hardware from GTX 970 upward.
What’s Left Before 1.0
- True Ending & Epilogue – Completion of Chronos’s arc, final boss variants, and post-credit quests.
- Achievements & Leaderboards – Cross-platform stat tracking plus console trophy/achievement integrations.
- Localization & Performance Polish – Nine language packs in progress; frame-rate optimizations for handheld and lower-spec systems.
- Quality-of-Life Refinements – Controller remapping, additional difficulty assists, and persistent run history.
Should You Wait or Jump In Now?
If you crave complete story closure or plan to play on console, waiting makes sense—the finale will land alongside Switch and next-gen controller tweaks. Otherwise, the current PC build offers dozens of hours of handcrafted dialogue, near-final combat balance, and a meta-progression loop dense enough to rival many finished roguelikes. Your feedback in these final months can still influence balance hotfixes, but the content you play today will be the content that ships later this year—only sharper, faster, and fully voiced.
With Early Access effectively locked and Supergiant’s polish phase underway, the finish line is in sight. When the full release finally drops, Melinoë’s witch-fueled rebellion against the Titan of Time will stand as one of 2025’s marquee launches—ready to captivate players on PC first, then sweep across Switch and consoles soon after.
Key Takeaways
- Early Access is feature-complete. “The Unseen Update” adds the last weapon aspects, story arcs, and balance tweaks planned before launch.
- Full release still 2025. Supergiant hasn’t given a specific date, but the team confirmed no additional biomes or major systems will arrive until 1.0.
- Console rollout begins with Switch. After PC/Mac 1.0, Hades II will arrive first on Nintendo Switch and the upcoming Switch 2 via a timed exclusive, with PlayStation and Xbox ports expected later.
- Price remains $29.99 during Early Access. Owners receive all future updates, including the final release, at no extra cost.
Game Details and Features
Hades II deepens Supergiant’s signature blend of razor-sharp combat, reactive narrative, and painterly art. Even before 1.0, players can:
- Experiment with five core Weapons of the Arcana—each sporting multiple Aspects unlocked through gameplay and now fully fleshed out after the June update.
- Shape runs using the Arcana Altar, a tarot-inspired meta-progression board that trades resources for passive boons.
- Brew Potions and Hexes at the Crossroads to alter encounters, harvest crafting materials, or rescue NPCs trapped by Chronos.
- Recruit Familiars—owl, snake, and frog companions that lend utility from crowd control to mid-run healing.
Story and Characters
Melinoë, witch-princess of the Underworld, wages a midnight rebellion against Chronos, Titan of Time, whose invasion has scattered gods across dream-like realms. Her allies and foes now include:
| Returning Olympians | New Faces |
|---|---|
| Zeus, Poseidon, Aphrodite | Apollo (light & rhythm boons) |
| Demeter, Artemis, Ares | Hestia (hearth-fire boons) |
| Hermes, Dionysus | Moros (prophecy & doom) |
As with the first Hades, every escape attempt advances relationships and reveals new voice-acted dialogue. The Unseen Update added end-game Guardian encounters that hint at the climactic battle planned for 1.0.
Gameplay & Mechanical Tweaks in “The Unseen Update”
- Guardian Trials: Optional arena fights that award rare resources and push build crafting to its limit.
- Weapon Aspect Reworks: Sister Blades now gain a parry-into-counter stance; Moonstone Staff earns a long-range barrage aspect.
- Chaos Trials: Time-limited gauntlets from Primordial Chaos that drop unique glyphs for the Arcana Altar.
- Quality-of-Life: Improved boon filtering, persistent run summaries, and color-blind accessibility presets.
Audiovisual Evolution
The sequel leans into darker palettes—conjuring midnight blues, phosphorescent violets, and ember reds—to underline Melinoë’s witchcraft. Darren Kor bounces ethereal strings against brooding metal riffs, while Logan Cunningham and Sarah Grayson headline a voice cast that now exceeds 30,000 recorded lines. Spell sigils and Chronos’s time-fracture effects showcase the studio’s richest visual FX work to date.
Release Information
Availability & Platforms
| Platform | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| PC (Steam/Epic) | Early Access live | Full 1.0 later in 2025 |
| macOS | Early Access live | Parity with PC updates |
| Nintendo Switch / Switch 2 | Announced | Launch window follows PC 1.0—targeting late 2025 |
| PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S | Planned |
Steam Deck remains fully supported; Proton compatibility allows Linux users to play without tweaks. Minimum specs have not changed since launch (GTX 970/RX 560).
Development Roadmap
| Phase | Window | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Technical Test | Q1 2024 (complete) | Stability & hardware coverage |
| Early Access Launch | May 2024 (complete) | Core content rollout |
| “Fields” Update | Sept 2024 (complete) | New biome & weapon |
| “Rifts” Update | Feb 2025 (complete) | Arcana overhaul, familiars |
| “Unseen” Update | Jun 2025 (complete) | Final early-access content |
| Polish & Ending | Summer–Fall 2025 | True ending, achievements, localisation |
| Version 1.0 | Late 2025 | PC/Mac release, Switch launch |
Supergiant has stated that only hotfixes—not new regions—will roll out between now and 1.0.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will Hades II hit Nintendo Switch?
Supergiant plans a timed Switch/Switch 2 launch shortly after the PC 1.0 release late 2025. Exact date will be announced closer to completion.
Is an Xbox or PlayStation version confirmed?
Yes—just not dated. As with the original Hades, console ports will follow the Switch window. Expect 2026 availability on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.
Does Early Access progress carry into 1.0?
Supergiant’s intent is to keep saves compatible. Major balance changes may prompt optional run resets, but earned cosmetics, resources, and story progression should persist.
Will there be paid DLC?
The studio is focused on finishing the base game; post-launch plans remain undecided.
How much does it cost now—and will that change?
Early Access is $29.99. Supergiant typically raises the price at 1.0 (the first Hades jumped from $24.99 to $29.99), so a modest increase is possible.
Can I still influence development now that major updates are done?
Absolutely. The team monitors forum threads and bug reports; balance hotfixes will continue until launch.
With Early Access content now complete and the finish line in sight, Hades II already feels like a full-fledged sequel—one that’s about to get its definitive ending later this year.
