Although it has not yet been fully released, Valheim is one of those indie games that seems like it could reshape a genre. It’s also an indie game that’s been in early access for so long that it’s built its own community as if it were a fully released game that’s been around for years, but Iron Gate Studio hasn’t finished its work on the title yet. After releasing Ashlands, there is only one major biome left to add to the game: the Deep North.
Valheim is now closer than ever to its 1.0 version, having been in early access for over three years now and a full release in 2025 seems more than likely. The game already has possibly hundreds of hours of content with diverse building tools and many deadly biomes to explore. It’s set to be one of the best survival games, and while it doesn’t challenge minecraftDespite the genre’s monopoly, because nothing will likely happen, it has already started to carve out its own respectable section of the player base.
The Far North could be added to Valheim soon
Iron Gate Studio made this the priority
Iron Gate Studio has kept its audience updated on its progress on Valheim with occasional blog posts. The latest blog post about Valheim The site reveals where Iron Gate is focusing its efforts following the Bog Witch update, which once again added enemies to the swamp biome. At the moment, the studio focused all its efforts on the Deep North biome and allowing Valheim to finally abandon its early access status with a 1.0 releasealthough Iron Gate has stated that there is still some way to go before then.
Outside the Deep North biome, Iron Gate has stated that they want to do some work on previous biomes to help make version 1.0 of the game a complete package. This work could be similar to Valheimfrom Bog Witch, and will likely also include bug fixes for new additions. The studio stated that the Deep North update will mark VAlheim ending its time in early access, meaning the studio will have to make the game a complete package while adding a new biome.
The Northern Lights could make the far north the most beautiful biome
It will be different from the mountain biome
Not much is known about the Deep North, but Iron Gate shared a screenshot of the biome in its latest blog post, showing the Northern Lights behind Yggdrasil. The studio said it will continue to share screenshots of the biome as work resumesand the current screenshot could mean that the Far North ends up being the most beautiful biome in Valheim. The Northern Lights will certainly help the Far North be different from the Mountain biome, which is also known for snow and cold.
The Mountain biome requires cold-resistant armor, such as Wolf Armor, or Frost-Resistant Mead.
The Deep North will, unsurprisingly, be in the northernmost part of the map. This makes it as far away from the Ashlands location as possible. and will likely act as the opposite of the Ashlands, swapping death pits for snow plains, which the developers have stated will sometimes feel like a Christmas card in a stream with The Spill (via Iron GateYouTube channel). Although nothing major has been revealed yet as Deep North is still in pre-production at the time of writing with its Norse setting, Valheim may end up adding Frost Giants.
Valheim 1.0 is the focus of Iron Gate
After all these years, Valheim will have a full release
There was a fear in the community that Valheim it would be one of those early access games that was never fully released, similar to the reputation that DiaZ had due to its five-year early access. Iron Gate assured its players that Valheim is on its way to becoming a full game, and the recent updates to Deep North are proof of that. While the studio has shown very little beyond the Northern Lights screenshot, it shows that Iron Gate has a clear idea for the biome.
With Iron Gate Studio talking so openly about Deep North and version 1.0 of the game, it’s an exciting time for Valheim. With Deep North swapping the fire pits of the Ashlands for Christmas card-like visuals, this could mean players will get the proper Norse Viking experience with snow, deadly enemies, and unforgiving winters. Even aside from that, the location will at least be a visual treat with its Northern Lights and could be the most beautiful biome of all time.
Sources: Valheim, Iron Gate/YouTube