Summary
Developer Iron Gate Studio has released a new update forValheimthat includes a Unity engine upgrade, performance improvements, and various bug fixes. Iron Gate explained that the update’s main goal is to makeValheimsmoother and prepare it for the future Ashlands update.
A release date forValheim’s Ashlands patchhas not been confirmed yet, but it’s expected to launch sometime in the first half of 2024. The major update will introduce the Ashlands biome, which is a barren, volcanic setting always located along the southern edge of the map. The Ashlands update will also add new enemies, weapons, animals, food, and more toValheim, including the Ashlands Fortress located at the heart of the new biome.
In preparation for Ashlands,Valheim’s April 10 update called Patch 0.217.46 upgrades the game’s Unity engine to version 2022.3.17f, which the engine maker released in January of this year. The update also upgradesValheim’s performance by significantly changing how certain locations like Dungeons are loaded and unloaded. However, Iron Gate noted that this change likely affects most mods, so players using these add-ons may run into some issues. The update’s other adjustments include various gameplay improvements, like hammers now being able to remove naturally spawned beds and dealing knockback to an enemy on a slope no longer affecting the player dealing said knockback.
The update also includes a bunch of bug fixes, some of which apply toValheim’s boats. For example, boats suddenly stopping when transferring ownership or accessing boat storage and issues surrounding boat ownership after a client disconnects should both be fixed. Also, sails should now blow in the direction that corresponds to the wind.
Since Iron Gate emphasized that this update focuses on laying the groundwork for the Ashlands update, fans have already begun to speculate that the major patch could release quite soon with some hoping for a launch within the month; however, this is of course unconfirmed.Valheim’s last major update came back in August when Iron Gate released theHildir’s Requestpatch. The update added the Hildir merchant NPC, Hildir’s Camp, new dungeons, three mini-bosses, and more.
Fans hope thatValheim’s Ashlands updatewill inject new life into the game, which has struggled to return to the massive popularity seen shortly after its 2021 launch. The last timeValheimbroke 60,000 concurrent Steam users was in February 2023, partially thanks to a resurgence in popularity with December 2022’s release of the Mistlands update.
Patch Notes for Valheim’s April 10 Update 0.217.46
Hello vikings! We’ve got a bunch of fixes and improvements for you today, to smooth out the game and to prepare everything for the upcoming Ashlands update. This patch touches on everything from enemy spawning and build pieces to language issues and memory leaks. Most notably though, it features an upgrade of Unity and a significant change to how the game loads assets such as dungeons. If you mod the game, please see the FAQ linked further below as it will most likely affect yours.
Important note if you have played the PTB patch 0.217.43:
If you have removed a world and then created a new world with the same name, you will need to remove the following files from your worlds folder:
Xbox and Microsoft Store only:
Valheim
WHERE TO PLAY
Valheimis 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 WORLDExplore 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 HALLSRaise 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 SURVIVEStruggle 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.
