PowerWash Simulator 2 is coming to steal all of your free time later this year

From walking in freshly fallen snow to watching clips of the DVD logo hitting the corner of the screen, there’s no shortage of oddly satisfying (yet entirely mundane) things that can easily command our attention, and developer FuturLab is all too aware of this. After testing the waters with a free demo and subsequent early access launch, the UK-based studio unleashed PowerWash Simulator back in 2022, giving clean freaks a chance to unwind and blast away dirt and grime without having to get their hands dirty.

Be it a newfound, post-COVID obsession with all things clean or humanity’s underlying desire to impose order on chaos, PowerWash Simulator quickly grew in popularity, racking up over 17 million players across all platforms.

You can imagine my surprise—and slight worry—when FuturLab revealed PowerWash Simulator 2 earlier this month during a virtual, invite-only press briefing. Thankfully, the development team was well aware of any concerns and quickly assuaged my one fear.

“It’s the same genre as last time,” explained Joshua Brown, who serves as the Senior Marketing Manager at FuturLab. “Simulation, casual, indie, satisfying, wholesome,” or in other words, “more of what the players love.”

With that concern addressed, it’s clear FuturLab prioritized some of the community’s oft-requested features for the upcoming sequel. Aside from offering up a brand new campaign that continues the first game's story from the first game—yes, you read that right, there's a plot to follow along with as you go about your cleaning—PowerWash Simulator 2 introduces two-player split-screen alongside the existing four-player online cooperative multiplayer. Story progression is shared regardless of how you play.

PowerWash Simulator 2 Design Director Dan Chequer was careful not to spoil too much about the next chapter of the campaign, though he did offer up a few details.

“The new career campaign takes the player beyond the town of Muckingham this time,” Chequer teased. Rather than being confined to a single locale, players will be able to travel to several towns within Caldera County, “interacting with a variety of quirky customers and uncovering even more mysterious goings on in the neighborhood than before. All the while, the player’s indirectly making the world a better place via the power of washing.”

Tying this all together is the new Central Homebase. "This hub is a place for players to meet before embarking on cleaning missions, and for the host to keep track of their progress,” says Chequer.

“Players can also unlock, wash, and place a collection of furniture items, arranging them downstairs in their own unique manner," Chequer continues. "Upstairs, they can delve deeper into the lore of PowerWash Simulator, and view the various rewards they earn as they progress through the career mode.”

PowerWash Simulator’s relaxed and laid-back atmosphere is central to the overall experience, and its sequel isn’t looking to rock the boat too much in this regard. Chequer explains that “PowerWash Simulator 2 is more evolution than revolution.”

Of course, that doesn’t mean the core gameplay hasn’t seen its fair share of refinements and updates. While FuturLab is remaining tight-lipped for the time being, they did confirm that PowerWash Simulator 2 will feature new nozzles, an “expanded range of specialized navigation equipment” (consider my interest piqued), and a revamped soap system to go along with the stepped-up visuals.

“The all-new and improved soap system allows players to apply a thick, foamy layer of soap onto their target, and this reduces even the most stubborn dirt to a soft mush, allowing it to be rinsed away effortlessly with even the widest, weakest nozzles,” Chequer detailed.” This provides a different—but just as satisfying—method to clean.”

While we only got a brief look at what PowerWash Simulator 2 has in store for players, it’s exciting to see that FuturLab is tackling the original’s rough spots head-on. There are still plenty of announcements and reveals on the horizon, but with confirmation of drop in/drop out split-screen co-op, as well as a redesigned soap for tackling the toughest of cleaning jobs, PowerWash Simulator 2 is already shaping up to be the touched-up, squeaky-clean sequel fans have been waiting for.

PowerWash Simulator 2 will be available on the Epic Games Store later this year.