Valheim has quickly become a popular early-access survival game throughout the last few months. Thousands of players have explored vast maps as they craft or collect items and gear to defeat the game’s five bosses.
While Valheim currently offers hours of entertainment, many players are curious about what future updates will come to the game. Valheim developer Iron Gate Studio gave fans a taste of what’s to come with a roadmap in February, but developers have since adjusted their plans to accommodate new priorities. Regardless, players can expect at least four significant updates and several smaller updates in the future.
The original roadmap listed four updates that would be released throughout 2021: Hearth and Home, Cult of the Wolf, Ships and the Sea, and the updated Mistlands biome. It also listed nine other smaller updates that would improve gameplay and introduce smaller features.
However, Iron Gate Studio has since switched its efforts to improving the core Valheim gameplay. The large influx of new players introduced and highlighted new bugs and issues that needed to be resolved to maintain a fun gameplay experience. While this is good for maintaining a bug-free experience, it also caused the new content and updates to be put on the backburner.
Valheim players can still expect at least one major update by the end of the year. The Hearth and Home update is scheduled to release on Sept. 16 and includes a lot of new content to enjoy. A blog post from Iron Gate Studio showed new building pieces, cooking station extensions, new food items, and plantable onions. The developers stated this preview is just a small portion of the Hearth and Home update, and fans can likely expect a lot of other fun changes soon.
The original roadmap listed the Cult of the Wolf update as next in line after Hearth and Home, but after a change of plans, the Mistlands update is next in line, breathing new life into the Mistlands biome. Iron Gate confirmed that the smaller updates would be set aside “for now,” but they will likely be added to the game eventually.
The Mistlands biome is barren with little to offer. There are giant skulls, cobwebs, and ancient trees in this biome, and the sky turns to a darker shade. The roots of the trees highlight like a harvestable object, but there is no way to break them. It is unclear whether the Mistlands will be an endgame area or added to the current gameplay cycle.
The Cult of the Wolf update was speculated to add changes to the Mountains biome, possibly introducing new enemies and points of interest. Players can already tame wolves in-game, but this update may give these furry creatures a more significant role. It is also unclear if players can join the new cult or if it will solely be an enemy faction or event.
The Ships and Sea update will likely add new craftable ships and sea creatures, making the voyage through the ocean more dangerous and exciting. Besides the Leviathan and Sea Serpents, there isn’t much to worry about in the middle of the ocean. Some players want to build massive structures in the middle of the ocean, and this update might give them the tools necessary for the massive project.
The smaller updates in the “If Odin Wills It” section of the original roadmap references a lot of interesting content. These updates include multiplayer interactions, combat improvements, moon phases, tar pits, vendor inventory expansion, Svartalfr Brigands, unique locations, sandbox mode, and Munin.
These minor updates hint at a lot of exciting changes, although it is unclear if or when they will make it to Valheim. Munin is Odin’s other raven, which might give players another guide or protector. New vendor items would give players more reason to explore and collect coins and valuables, and Svartalfr Brigands might indicate another enemy type or NPC coming to Valheim.
The moon phases could change the spawn rates of enemies during the night or introduce other timed events for players to enjoy. Tar pits could also offer new items and resources while also introducing a new dangerous obstacle.
Valheim is still in early development and far from being complete. Fans can expect the Hearth and Home expansion relatively soon, but it is unclear when the other updates will make their way to the live version of the game.
