October 16, 2026 | This is Camp Ashfield, broadcasting on all available frequencies. We’re looking for survivors who are up for a challenge.
BitQuest Studio has launched a new Hardcore Survival mode in the Ashfield Hollow demo for Steam Next Fest, running October 19 to 26, challenging players to survive 50 in-game days with permadeath on in the post-apocalyptic life sim ScreenRant called “The Last of Us meets Stardew Valley.”
The four survivors with the most zombie kills at the end of day 50 each win a $25 Steam Gift Card.
The Hardcore Survival Challenge
- Start a new game in the demo and select the hardcore survival preset
- Keep Permadeath on and leave every other setting untouched
- Survive all 50 in-game days
- Screenshot your final scorecard and submit it through this form
Staying alive gets you on the board. Killing gets you paid. Scorecards must be in by 5:00 PM Eastern Time on October 26, the final day of Steam Next Fest.
See the full challenge rules here
“An unexpected delight.” – GamingBible
About the Demo
The demo covers the first 50 days in Camp Ashfield, roughly 10 hours of gameplay on default settings. Save data carries over to the full release, so nothing you build is wasted. The demo is fully controller and Steam Deck-friendly, and comes with extensive sandbox options, from the character creator through to fine-tuning zombie numbers, health, detection range, and respawn speed, so every playthrough can be tuned exactly how you want it.
About the Game
Ten years after the outbreak, you wake up in Camp Ashfield with no memory of who you were and a new life to build in what remains of the world.
Ashfield Hollow is a 2D post-apocalyptic life sim blending real-time survival combat with farming, base building, and the slow work of rebuilding a life in a world that nearly ended. And still can.
- Survive the Infected – Fight relentless infected in real-time combat, from isolated encounters to overwhelming hordes.
- Face Hostile Survivors – Fight desperate survivors competing for the same supplies and take on dangerous extraction runs.
- Build a Home Worth Defending – Build and expand your base with barns, greenhouses, crafting stations, generators, and more.
- Farm, Fish, and Raise Animals – Grow crops, fish, forage, raise animals, and produce the food you need to survive.
- Become Part of Camp Ashfield – Build relationships with the survivors around you, complete personal missions, and uncover their stories.
About BitQuest Studio
BitQuest Studio is an independent game studio established and run by a single developer, who has spent the past two years building Ashfield Hollow.
