Summary

  • Valheim's developers are offering a glimpse at the upcoming Deep North update.
  • This will mark the end of the game's early access period, which has persisted since February 2021.
  • Version 1.0 will provide a complete tier progression, separated by eight boss fights of increasing difficulty.

With the Bog Witch released, the developers of Valheim have now offered players a first look at the highly anticipated Deep North update. Valheim has come a long way since its Early Access launch, as the sandbox game has sold over 13 million copies across Steam and Xbox and boasts very positive reviews. It added the Mistlands in December 2022 and the Ashlands in May 2024, taking Valheim's progression to new heights, especially when it comes to difficulty.

However, one biome in Valheim still remains incomplete: the Deep North. While modders have attempted to tackle the Deep North on their own, the developers at Iron Gate have long been adamant that it would be the final update before Valheim's true launch. Many players have found the Ashlands to be a difficult experience, and there is a decent chance that the Deep North will provide a similar level of challenge. While the Deep North will primarily develop a complete version of the titular biome, the update itself is even more ambitious than one might assume.

valheim-player-builds-incredible-medieval-inspired-village
Valheim Player Builds Incredible Medieval-Inspired Village

A dedicated Valheim player showcases their amazing building skills by creating a medieval village in the popular survival game.

By 

The developers of Valheim shared a new blog post with their audience on Steam, showcasing the Deep North biome with an Aurora Borealis lighting up the sky, and affirming their decision to make the Deep North update mark the end of Early Access. With the Bog Witch patch for Valheim completed, save for a few bug fixes, Iron Gate's focus is now fixed entirely upon the Deep North and getting the game ready for its proper launch. Notably, the developers stated that Version 1.0 would not only expand the Deep North biome, but that players would find plenty of new content in the early Valheim biomes as well.

What to Expect From the Deep North Update in Valheim

While some players were hoping for an Ocean overhaul before Iron Gate tackled the Deep North in Valheim, the content promised for Version 1.0 is nothing short of ambitious. The developers stated that the Deep North would add a true ending to Valheim, and the promise of new content in old biomes is an enticing prospect to veteran players. Version 1.0 will provide a complete tier progression, separated by eight Valheim boss fights of increasing difficulty.

Iron Gate has gone on record to state that the Deep North in Valheim will more-or-less resemble its placeholder version, but has nonetheless teased the new Aurora Borealis that will greet players entering the biome. While the launch of Version 1.0 will inevitably mark the end of an era for Valheim, players are hoping that the developers will continue to expand the game for many years to come.

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Valheim Tag Page Cover Art

Valheim
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Sandbox
Survival
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Systems
PC-1 Xbox-1
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Top Critic Avg: 85 /100 Critics Rec: 83%
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Released
February 2, 2021
ESRB
r
Developer(s)
Iron Gate AB
Publisher(s)
Coffee Stain Studios
Engine
Unity
Multiplayer
Online Multiplayer
Cross-Platform Play
PC, Xbox One & Xbox Series X|S
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WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL
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Valheim  is a brutal exploration and survival game for 1-10 players set in a procedurally-generated world inspired by Norse mythology. Craft powerful weapons, construct longhouses, and slay mighty foes to prove yourself to Odin!
EXPLORE THE TENTH WORLD
Explore a world shrouded in mystery. Discover distinct environments with unique enemies to battle, resources to gather and secrets to uncover! Be a viking, sail the open seas in search of lands unknown, and fight bloodthirsty monsters.
BUILD MIGHTY HALLS
Raise viking longhouses and build bases that offer reprieve from the dangers ahead. Customise buildings, both inside and out, with a detailed building system. Progress through building tiers to upgrade, expand and defend your base.
GATHER, CRAFT AND SURVIVE
Struggle to survive as you gather materials and craft weapons, armor, tools, ships, and defenses. Decorate your hearths and sharpen your blades, grow crops and vegetables, prepare food, brew meads and potions, and progress as you defeat more difficult bosses and discover new recipes and blueprints.

Genre(s)
Sandbox, Survival
How Long To Beat
75 Hours
X|S Optimized
Yes
File Size Xbox Series
1 GB (November 2023)
OpenCritic Rating
Mighty