Nice idea but really HL does not have time for it.

They want to finish Wintermute and DLC hopefully before end of this year. Then they will move on with something else. Maybe they will continue more DLC and challenges for The Long Dark but it will not be free and I certainly don't expect them to give us more free content after 10 years of $30 one time charge and continuous free content updates over the 10 years life of the game. I will happily pay for TLD DLC if they want to continue it but if they don't it is ok too.

I look forward to participating in their next early access while continuing to brutalising my character across Great Bear, cold, hungry, and losing condition with each step. It cost me a fraction of a penny for the hours I have played.

To Hinterland: A bottle of 12 year old scotch is being opened in your honour.

The Hunted part 3 is expected, maybe another similar challenge, but I think it would be it after that.

If you really want to try a Challenge Mode where heat and trying to stay cool and hydrated is the challenge- try the student-made game Arid. It's free, it's a survival genre game set in the hot arid desert. Similar survival mechanics, different critters trying to kill you, and again- it's free. It is a student-made game, so it's not perfect, but it can be fairly "hardcore" like TLD is and is worth playing if you want to try something similar to TLD but set in a scorching desert.

It's already November 2024, and I think HL has their hands full already trying to get Part 6 of the TFTFT DLC done and Episode 5 of Wintermute done. I don't see them having enough time or energy to try to create a whole new Challenge Mode before the end of the year. Try Arid, it might scratch the itch you are having.

It depends what you mean by "Next community challenge?"

If you mean official Hinterlands released "Challenges" (Main Menu > Challenges) then yes, "The Hunted (Part 3)" Challenge currently part of the release for Part 6 of the TFTFT expansion (currently set for rDecember 2024 release).

If you mean "community challenge" as in player-made challenges like "No One Gets Out Alive" (NOGOA), Deadman or Outerloper then yes, there already are multiple new community challenges resulting from the Part 5 TFTFT patch, namely:

• Cheat Death (perma): die asap on worldstart and survive with 3 applications of the milder but permanent death penalty
  
• Cheat Death (temporary): die asap on worldstart and survive with 3 applications of the temporary but severe death penalty
  
• Misery TALES: One community challenge I've seen many players attempt (but none succeed far as I'm aware of) is trying to complete any (or all) of the TALES in Misery Mode. 'Technically' it is possible, but given how difficult the mode is I suspect quite a while before anyone can beat it.

Additionally Hinterlands has stated their support for additional Custom Sandbox settings in official Hinterlands forum posts and their Youtube channel. They haven't yet revealed what settings exactly may be included, but Misery Mode afflictions are a likely guess.

Furthermore, Hinterlands has stated (at an indeterminate point in their roadmap) that they will formalize mod support in-game. Currently there are many community-made mods (like "Endless Weather") which have been adopted by the community for challenges. I suspect even more mods will be made or adopted once this change is implemented.

Not everyone want to use third party mods. It remains to be seen what type of modding HL will add to the game, and if they will be able to add mods to console versions of the game at all (not likely for Switch players, because Nintendo...). PC copies of the game- sure, much easier (which is why third party mods already are only available for PC players).

There is a whole section of Share Codes for Custom Settings games that create some really fun challenges for people looking for them, no mods needed. Just input the Share Code in the Custom Settings Toolbox, and it works on PC *and* console copies of the game.
Whole list of the in the Fan Creations subforum: https://gtm.steamproxy.vip/app/305620/discussions/9/4515505814159739321/
(Though some of them may be out of date, and after HL reworks the Custom Settings Toolbox, most of them will likely stop working- so try them now, while you wait for the next update.)
And none of them, including third party mods have a "got too hot and passed out" affliction or mechanic. So I am still going to recommend the OP tries out Arid if they want to get sunbaked and crispy.

Their is a interloper triple death challenge and you can try it with NOGOA settings put I don't thing it is possible.