Valheim’s next big update takes Vikings to the land of the dead

Valheim had a strong start, and the open-world Viking game has since expanded into a new biome called the Mistlands and added tons of base-building and customization elements with the Hearth & Home update. Now, developer Iron Gate Studio has announced the next big biome in development — and it looks like players will be setting off to explore the Ashlands, the land of the dead.

There’s no release date for the new biome, and it will likely need a significant amount of time in the oven. The official blog ValheimIron Gate explained that it plans to make the Ashlands more transparent by sharing its concept art. Concept art showing the creatures players may encounter at such a location is shared by the developer. It will cover a significant portion of the land to the south.

Vikings won’t be able to visit the volcanic Ashlands until after they have waited. Valheimwill receive gameplay updates in due course. It will be available on Xbox starting in 2023. Crossplay is also planned to allow for the connection of console and computer players. For those looking for a more difficult afterlife experience, the developer has also been testing difficulty settings.

There’s also an update called Hildir’s Quest in the works, which seems to be clothing-focused. I’ll always welcome the opportunity for more dolly dress-up, and it looks like Hildir is a character who will help Vikings with their style. Iron Gate will not only provide more clothing, but also a method to style hair. Iron Gate will also be working on accessibility options in future updates. However, the developer still needs feedback from people with disabilities.