Factions in The Forever Winter: All factions in The Forever Winter, explained

Factions in The Forever Winter are groups of remaining survivors of the ongoing bloody war who are struggling to take command of what little resource is remaining in the world. The Forever Winter is set in a world torn and ruined beyond repair by the deadlocked battle between giant automatons, and as a player, you must adapt and avoid these machines to secure some resources for yourself.

The Forever Winter has only been released in Early Access, which is why the lore behind the factions is very scattered and not readily available, even in the game, and it’s also subject to change in future updates. With that in mind, here is more information about the factions.

Disclaimer: The lore of these factions may change in the future, as the game is still actively developed.

All factions in The Forever Winter and their backgrounds

Europa

The rotting visage of the west (Image via Fun Dog)

Comprised nations: Western and Central European nations, majority of the Americas
Type: Defensive, traditional military force

Europa is comprised of Western and Central European nations along with the majority of the Americas. This faction, however, is in technological decline compared to its enemies. Much of its weaponry and equipment comes from vast stockpiles dating back to World War II, the Vietnam War, and even the Gulf War.

While elite units have access to modern gear, the bulk of Europa’s forces rely on outdated technology. It fights a defensive war using traditional combined arms tactics involving older armored vehicles, squads of conscripts, and Mech units when available. Its UAV support helps locate enemies, with specialized troops deployed for high-risk missions like destroying vital enemy supplies or eliminating officers.

Although Europa has an advantage in terms of numbers, it suffers heavy losses, especially against the technologically superior Eurasian forces.

Read More: The Forever Winter: How to customize weapons

Eurasia

What is the cost of humanity? (Image via Fun Dog)

Comprised nations: Encompasses the entirety of Asia
Type: Advanced technological military force

Eurasia spans the entirety of Asia and is defined by its highly advanced military technology, a generation or two ahead of Europa. Their forces are small but powerful, focusing on breakthrough and encirclement tactics to isolate and destroy enemy units over time. Due to their limited manpower, Eurasia has resorted to horrific measures by weaponizing civilians, transforming them into cyborg-zombies.

These former civilians, fully aware of their nightmarish condition, have been stripped of their organs and fitted with cybernetic limbs. They now roam the battlefield in endless torment, hoping that by fulfilling their duty, they might one day return to their previous lives.

The Cyborgs are used as living cannon fodder, swarming Europa's defenses, while Eurasia’s more advanced Mechs and drones deliver long-range firepower. Though technologically superior, Eurasian units are vulnerable to being overwhelmed by sheer numbers. However, their tactics aim to prevent this by leveraging superior firepower and precision.

Also Read: How to extract in The Forever Winter

Euruska

Comprised nations: Russia and Africa
Type: Technologically advanced, bio-engineered faction

A faction that includes Russia and Africa, Euruska is allied with Eurasia but takes a different approach to warfare. Although technologically advanced like Eurasia, it focuses on bioengineering rather than sheer military might. Its units often have an unsettling, organic-mechanical fusion, with their body horror aesthetics similar to Warhammer 40k’s Adeptus Mechanicus.

Notable examples include Mother Courage units, which retrieve and recycle fallen cyborgs, and K9 units, bio-mechanical constructs designed for swift combat. Though Euruska is more focused on support roles and bio-engineered units, they still maintain a military presence on the front lines.

Also Read: The Forever Winter's controversial Water mechanic will make it to Early Access release

Unlike Eurasia, it’s unclear if Euruska subjects its citizens to the same extreme body modifications or if they press people into service like Europa. There are also hints that Euruska is involved in surface reconstruction, though their true objectives remain unclear.

Secondary factions in The Forever Winter and their backgrounds

Virtual Intelligence

The hubris that led to destruction (Image via Fun Dog)

Amid this chaotic war, Virtual Intelligences (VIs) play a vital role, especially in regions where human command structures have collapsed. Some sectors are still controlled by humans, but in others, VIs have taken over, playing out large-scale strategic warfare on their own terms.

More disturbingly, some of these VIs have "broken free" of their programming and now conduct their own wars, potentially posing a greater threat than any one faction. Their motives remain mysterious, and they could become an even greater danger to humanity than the ongoing war itself.

Scavs

A man's flesh is his own; the water belongs to the tribe (Image via Fun Dog)

In this bleak universe, players take on the role of a Scav, a minor and insignificant figure on the battlefield. Scavs survive by scavenging what they can from the war-torn landscape, staying unnoticed, and avoiding the massive, deadly machinery of war that consumes everything in its path.

The war has lost its central command, and long-distance communication is unreliable, with drones delivering months-old messages. Each faction operates in isolated sectors, and no one knows the full extent of the world’s condition beyond their immediate front lines. As the war rages on with no end in sight, it becomes clear that the factions are not only fighting each other but also a losing battle with the very technology they created to wage the war.

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Edited by Adarsh J Kumar