Why I'm Optimistic About The Ascent 2 After Developer Teases Big Franchise Ambitions

The Ascent 2 is something I've been dreaming about since I wrapped up the brilliant original in 2021. After chatting with the team at gamescom, I'm now fairly confident it's on the horizon.

Neon Giant is currently busy with No Law, a first-person cyberpunk-inspired immersive sim that's set to be published by its parent company, Krafton. But they've also confirmed plans to evolve The Ascent—which has attracted over 12 million players—into a full franchise.

"It's always been our goal," said Arcade Berg, creative director and co-founder. "After the first The Ascent was done, it was a massive hit for us, but creatively we needed a change. We weren't ready to dive back in right away, and both our team size and investment capabilities weren't there for multiple projects."

He added: "Now, with Krafton's backing, we have the support to take creative risks. Together, we've crafted a franchise plan. We're shifting The Ascent from a single game to a broader universe. We'll share more as we progress, since it's a long-term strategy. But it's thrilling to finally have the resources to expand. I can't spill the details yet."

The original twin-stick action RPG wowed players with its punchy combat, richly detailed environments, and stunning cyberpunk visuals. In IGN's review, we praised it: "The Ascent's satisfying gun-tastic action-RPG loop, combined with its gorgeous cyberpunk aesthetic, delivers an overall enjoyable experience. While the story and characters might not stick with you, and enemy encounters can falter near the end, the gunplay and neon-soaked ultra-violence create a co-op-friendly gem you rarely see."

Krafton has also announced that an update for The Ascent, slated for November 2026, will enhance both solo and co-op play, with improvements to teleportation, encounters, save reliability, and player progression. That's five years after the original launch.

Krafton has hinted that The Ascent will branch into new genres, sparking speculation about what the sequel might be. Will it stay twin-stick, go first-person, or take a different route entirely?

The Ascent, and likely No Law, have always punched above their weight. Neon Giant started with just 12 staff, then doubled to 24 to bring No Law to life. They're still a compact team that packs incredible density and detail into their worlds. I don't see them ballooning in size for more Ascent titles, but maybe they'll expand a bit when the time is right.

In the nearer term, No Law is scheduled for a 2027 release on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.