Ashlands, one of the biggest expansions for the Norse-inspired survival game Valheim, has gone live. It adds the Ashlands biome, which is to be the game’s penultimate region, alongside dozens of new weapons, items, enemies, and a whole lot more.
In late April, Valheim developer Iron Gate published a trailer for the Ashlands expansion and launched it into the Public Test Realm for players to try out. After around three weeks of testing, the developers deemed the expansion ready for a full release, and have made it available for everyone today, May 14. The stable build includes over 30 new weapons, more than 70 new buildable items, dozens of new creatures, and crafting materials. It also expanded the game’s overall atmosphere with new music, locations, and events.
During its initial PTR release, Iron Gate described the Ashlands region as the game’s most challenging biome yet. Players were advised to prepare accordingly so they could face the biome’s harsh infernal climate, undead enemies, sea monsters, and exceptionally difficult bosses. Since it is the second-to-last region in the game, this seems only natural and sparks excitement for what the developers are planning for the very end. Valheim is still in early access and has been since 2021 and all expansions are seen as mere steps towards a full release.
As things stand, only Valheim‘s final biome remains: Deep North. As development wraps up on the Ashlands, perhaps the studio will move on to this final ice-covered region. The Deep North is already in the game, though largely unfinished, and only the developers know what its true features, enemies, and gameplay loop will be. Still, players now have the chance to experience the near-endgame environment of the Ashlands, which is a major milestone in the game’s three-year-long journey.
