Survive the Cold Guide: First steps when you spawn
About
OverviewSurvive the Cold drops you into a frozen world where warmth is your most important resource. You need to find shelter, keep fires burning, and collect all seven relics scattered across the map to end the storms for good.
What is on this page
Contents
First steps when you spawn
Step
The cold starts draining your warmth the moment you are outside, so your first job is to find a shelter — a building or cave where you can light a fire. Once you have a fire going, check the warmth gauge on your screen to make sure it is climbing. Everything else in the game depends on keeping that gauge healthy.
- Find a shelter scan the area around your spawn for buildings or caves you can get inside.
- Light the fire start the fire inside the shelter and watch the warmth gauge on your screen.
Keeping your warmth stable
Tips
Warmth falls steadily over time, so you cannot light a fire once and forget about it. Fuel drops can be found all over the map, and collecting extras whenever you spot them prevents you from running dry at a bad moment. Knowing the locations of several shelters means you always have somewhere to run when a storm rolls in.
- Memorize at least two or three shelter locations so you can reach one quickly from anywhere nearby.
- Pick up fuel whenever you see it, even if your current fire is healthy.
- Never leave a shelter during a storm — warmth drops far faster outdoors when a storm is active.
Storms — what changes and how to survive them
Warn
During a storm, warmth drains at a much steeper rate than normal outside. If the storm warning appears and you are not already near a shelter, start moving toward one immediately. Going back outside mid-storm is almost always fatal.
Collecting all seven relics
Check
Gathering all seven relics is what wins the game and stops the storms for good. Relics are hidden across the map at various locations outdoors, so you have to actively go looking for them rather than waiting for them to come to you.
- Only explore for relics during the calm gaps between storms.
- Check your warmth gauge before heading out if it is low, refuel the fire first.
Game updates and free-to-play access
Summary
The developers push daily bug fixes and add new features every week. As of September 29, 2026, over 43 million people have visited the game.
- Updates daily bug fixes and weekly feature additions.
- Win condition collect all seven relics to end the storms.
Glossary
Glossary- Warmth
- A gauge that falls over time outdoors and drops faster during storms; when it hits zero your health begins to decrease, and dying ends your run.
- Shelter
- A building or cave where you can light a fire to restore and maintain your warmth gauge.
- Relic
- One of seven hidden collectibles spread across the map; gathering all seven wins the game and permanently ends the storms.
- Storm
- A periodic deadly weather event that causes warmth to drain much faster than normal while you are outdoors.
- Fuel
- Items found around the map that keep a shelter fire burning.
Common questions
FAQWhat happens when my warmth runs out?
Once your warmth gauge empties, your health starts dropping. When your health reaches zero, your run ends.
Can I play this game by myself?
Yes — the game is built around solo PvE play, so you do not need other players to progress or win.
The game has a bug. What should I do?
The developers are pushing fixes daily.
How do I actually win the game?
Collect all seven relics hidden across the map. Once you have found every one of them, the storms stop and you clear the game.
Game updates can change what is on this page. If you spot something, get in touch and let us know.
