Frequently asked questions.

Forestbound is a cozy 3D first-person survival game about hiking, navigation with a topographic map and compass, and nature journaling. You explore a fictional world whose terrain is based at 1:1 scale on a real Bavarian landscape section and real elevation data. The basic mountains, valleys, and landforms therefore come from a real landscape. Paths, vegetation, buildings, and special places are adapted for the game.

Half joking, half serious: where it makes sense for the setting, we orient ourselves around real German standards, regulations, and real-world references. Johannes regularly goes out into nature for this, photographs signs and nature, and studies local details closely. Our roadside delineator, for example, is based on the German StVO signs 620-40 and 620-41. We also pay attention to a credible implementation of traffic signs, hiking signposts, and other regional details. Forestbound should feel recognizably German and Bavarian. It should not feel like a generic forest where German signs, hiking markers, or other regional assets were added afterward. This detail work takes time, but it is part of the game's identity. There is, of course, no official approval for our virtual signs. But maybe one or two content creators will still take a very close look. ;)

Yes. Forestbound is cozy survival with light survival systems. Weather, temperature, hunger, thirst, energy, and your gear matter. There are no zombies. Tension mainly comes from bad weather, poor preparation, rough terrain, and the possibility of getting lost. Smaller outdoor dangers still exist: if you are very careless, you can fall or, in the worst case, even break a leg. Usually nothing dramatic happens as long as you do not act completely foolish. ;) In an emergency, mountain rescue steps in and brings you back to a safe point.

No. No zombies, no apocalypse, and no end-times scenario. Instead there is cozy nature, the year 1996, no smartphones, and no social media.

Forestbound does not have a classic linear story or a continuously narrated story like Firewatch. Your personal story emerges while hiking, exploring, and making your own decisions. Lost places, old signposts, abandoned equipment, and traces of a military past are simply part of the world. They give the landscape character and leave room for your own discoveries without pushing you through a fixed plot.

Forestbound is initially planned for PC (Windows). The first release is planned for Steam. Other PC stores, such as the Epic Games Store, are possible later. Other platforms are also conceivable in principle, but they are not currently announced. Whether console versions can happen, for example, also depends on further funding and possible publishing or porting partners.

There is no exact release date yet. Forestbound is in active development. We are currently working hard on a first playable version. We will announce a release date only when we are really sure we can keep it.

Forestbound is getting a Steam page, which we are currently working on. Once it is online, you will be able to add the game to your wishlist there. Until then, the best thing to do is subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Instagram and our other social media channels. We will share the Steam link there as soon as everything is ready.

We are currently working toward a first playable version. Whether and when that turns into a public demo, playtests, or other testing opportunities is not something we can promise yet. News will come through the newsletter and social media.

Forestbound was originally planned as a single-player game. Many of you, however, want to hike, get lost, and sit by the campfire together with friends. That is why Forestbound is getting a co-op mode. Details will follow later.

Forestbound is set in 1996 and therefore focuses on analog navigation. You navigate with a topographic map, a compass, hiking paths, contour lines, landmarks, and the shapes of the terrain. At its core, there is no constantly visible GPS position on a minimap. Optional assists are planned for beginners so you can learn map and compass navigation at your own pace.

Yes, in the sense that they follow the same basic principles as real topographic maps. The maps show contour lines, paths, water, vegetation, landforms, and landmarks that also exist in the game world. Map and terrain fit together directly. We orient ourselves around real map and compass techniques. Basic knowledge about contour lines, cardinal directions, and matching the map with the terrain should therefore also transfer to real topographic maps. Forestbound remains a game and does not replace a real navigation course or professional outdoor knowledge.

Yes. Finding your way, and sometimes losing it, is part of the game. If you ignore paths, landmarks, terrain shapes, and your compass, you can get lost. Forestbound should not become unnecessarily frustrating, so different assists will be available depending on the setting, both for beginners and experienced map readers.

Yes and no. Will you spend a lot of time on foot? Almost certainly. Hiking and exploration are central, but you also plan routes, read maps and terrain, watch weather and gear, prepare camp, observe nature, and record your experiences in your Nature Journal.

You can pitch your tent and set up camp. There you can make a fire, prepare food or a hot drink, and let the day fade out. You can also look through your photos, browse your Nature Journal, and prepare for the next leg of the journey. The camp should feel like your cozy, personal retreat out in nature.

The Nature Journal is your personal nature diary. You collect photos, observations, notes, stickers, and memories of special moments. Over time, it becomes an individual journal of your own journey through Forestbound. It is not about checking off a perfect collection. The journal is meant to hold your personal experiences.

The field guide is your knowledge book about the game world. By observing and examining plants, animals, and natural materials, you can identify them and unlock new entries. Some entries also include practical hints, such as which materials can be used as tinder. The field guide collects knowledge. The Nature Journal, by contrast, keeps your personal moments and memories.

Forestbound is set in a fictional region strongly inspired by Bavaria and southern German low mountain landscapes. The terrain, meaning the basic elevation forms of the landscape, is based entirely on real Bavarian elevation data and a real landscape section at 1:1 scale. We redesign this section for the game, however. Places, roads, hiking paths, buildings, vegetation, and special locations can be changed, moved, or invented completely. That means you will not find every real place or every real road. The landforms are real. The game world, its places, and its history are fictional.

1996 fits the outdoor experience we want to capture: more analog, slower, and less dependent on digital tools. Topographic maps, compass, analog camera, radio, observation, and preparation become much more central. There were also no smartphones and no social media.

Forestbound is grounded in real outdoor routines, navigation techniques, and nature observation, but remains an approachable game. Map and compass should feel credible without requiring you to take an orienteering course first. Camping and survival systems are as realistic as useful, and as simple as necessary. Forestbound is still a game, not a complete outdoor handbook.

Yes. Lost places and traces of former use are part of the world of Forestbound. You may find old huts, ruins, abandoned infrastructure, or remains of a military past. Some of these places simply stand in the landscape and wait to be discovered. They are meant to spark curiosity, motivate map exploration, and create atmosphere. Forestbound still will not become a horror game, even if some places may feel a little eerie in the fog.

Forestbound is being developed at Number13 Media UG, a small two-person indie studio from Erlangen. Behind the game are Johannes and Jörg. Johannes has a B.Sc. in computer science and, alongside technology and game design, currently also works on art direction, graphic design, sound, and many visual details. Jörg brings many years of programming experience, especially in C++, but also in many other programming languages. He mainly works on the gameplay systems, the technical foundation, and Blender assets for the game world. So there is no large art, audio, design, or programming department here. A lot is created directly at our desks, in Blender, in Unreal, outside in the forest with a camera, and sometimes simply with quite a lot of coffee.

Forestbound is being developed with Unreal Engine 5. We have already programmed our own engine and bring a lot of experience from our computer science studies. For a small two-person team, however, many things are much faster and easier with a professional engine. Gameplay systems, tools, plugins, and other technical foundations are implemented by us in C++ where it makes sense.

The best way is to subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Instagram and our other social media channels. There we share news and insights into development. More channels will be added over time, but that still needs a little time. The Steam page should also go online soon. Once it is available, you will be able to wishlist Forestbound there.