Gothic 1 Remake: Everything We Know
Gothic 1 Remake is a full ground-up remake of the 2001 RPG by Piranha Bytes, built by Alkimia Interactive and published by THQ Nordic. It is out now (released June 5, 2026) on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. You play a nameless prisoner dropped into a penal mining colony sealed inside a magic Barrier — see is it worth it, the release & price details, or jump to which camp to join.
The setting
King Rhobar II needs magic ore for his war against the Orcs, so the kingdom turned the Valley of Mines into a penal colony. Mages raised a magic dome — the Barrier — to keep convicts trapped while they dig. The spell slipped out of control and now nothing can leave: inside, the prisoners organized themselves into three rival camps.
The Barrier is the whole premise: it makes the colony a self-governing prison where the prisoners, not the guards, hold the power — and your nameless hero arrives at the bottom of that food chain. Picking a camp is the game's first major decision.
What changed vs the original
This is a remake, not a remaster — Alkimia abandoned the original ZenGin for Unreal Engine 5.4 and rebuilt the colony from scratch. The biggest changes for returning players:
| 2001 Original | 2026 RemakePick | |
|---|---|---|
| World | Zoned with loading screens | Continuous open world, no loading screens |
| Map size | Original Valley of Mines | ~20% larger |
| Population | A few hundred NPCs | 600+ unique NPCs |
| Combat | Stance-based, no lock-on | Reworked with real lock-on + dodging |
| Late game | Original ending | ~15h of new late-game content |
| Engine | ZenGin | Unreal Engine 5.4 (Lumen + Nanite) |
| Navigation | Minimap | No minimap — landmark-based |
World & lore
The colony's conflict sits inside a wider mythology. Three gods anchor the setting — Innos, Beliar and Adanos — while the Sleeper is the banished demon-god at the heart of the main story. Their domains and oppositions:
| Name | Domain | Aspect | Opposition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adanos | Balance | BALANCE | |
| Beliar | the night and death | DARKNESS | Innos |
| Innos | order, fire and light | LIGHT | Beliar |
| Sleeper | Swamp Camp · Main Story | banished demon-god |
A handful of legendary items and Focus Stones drive the late game, several tied to one of the "four friends" who help you recover them:
| Name | Section | Chapter | Partner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chromatin Books | Legendary Items | ||
| Focus Stone (Monastery Ruin) | Focus Stones | Ch.3 | Gorn |
| Focus Stone (Mountain Fort) | Focus Stones | Ch.3 | Lester |
| Focus Stone (Sunken Crypt) | Focus Stones | Ch.3 | |
| Focus Stone (Troll Canyon) | Focus Stones | Ch.3 | Diego |
| Uriziel | Legendary Items |
Screenshots
Release trailer
Gothic 1 Remake — full FAQ
Is Gothic 1 Remake out yet?
Yes — it released on June 5, 2026 and is available now on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.
Who made the remake?
Alkimia Interactive developed it and THQ Nordic published it. The 2001 original was made by Piranha Bytes.
What platforms and price?
PC ($49.99) and PS5/Xbox Series X|S ($59.99) for the Standard edition; a $199.99 Collector's Edition is also available. Full details on the release & system requirements page.
Is there character creation?
No traditional character creation — like the original, you play a fixed nameless hero. Your 'build' comes from which camp you join and which trainers and skills you invest in.
Is there a demo?
Pre-orders included the playable Gothic Classic (the original game), which serves as the closest thing to a try-before-you-commit option.
What changed from the original?
A continuous open world with no loading screens, a ~20% larger map, 600+ unique NPCs, reworked combat with lock-on and dodging, roughly 15 hours of new late-game content, and a rebuild on Unreal Engine 5.4 instead of ZenGin.
How long is it?
About 30 hours for the main story across 6 chapters, longer if you fully explore the Valley of Mines and clear its 56 quests.
How is it being received?
Steam reviews are Very Positive (around 80% of 2,746). Critics are more split — OpenCritic sits near 71, and the PS5 version has drawn criticism for performance. See the full review breakdown.
