Cronos: The New Dawn unfolds in a post-apocalyptic version of the Nowa Huta district in Kraków during the 1980s. This unique setting becomes clearer when developers at Bloober Team explain their motivation. Grzegorz Like, the lead writer, shares his personal connection, stating, “It’s a district where I was born and raised.” He recounts his mother’s reaction when she saw the game trailer: “Why did you do that? This was such a nice place, and you destroyed it all.”

But the choice of Nowa Huta goes beyond mere nostalgia; it serves a deeper purpose—to showcase our heritage.

Like emphasizes, “We have become experts at putting Poland into games. This is our third project where we’ve done this—previously in Observer and The Medium. We decided to bring an entire district of Kraków to life for Cronos, highlighting not just its beauty but also its rich history.”

The district was established after World War II under Soviet influence. It attracted people nationwide who sought a better life following the devastation. “They created [the Tadeusz Sendzimir steelworks] and at one point, 40,000 people worked there. We produced more steel than entire countries, making it a significant contributor to Poland’s reconstruction efforts, yet it remains a reminder of a dark time,” Like explains.

This historical backdrop adds layers of meaning to the game’s narrative, posing hypothetical questions about oppression and the collective responses to crises. “What if, amidst the martial law, a bizarre virus caused social turmoil instead? In reality, we’ve managed to overcome oppression together; but what if unity was the problem?” The risk of infected creatures merging refers back to this theme, compelling players to act or risk facing stronger foes in a game deeply intertwined with its setting.