What you need to know
- Valheim developer Iron Gate Studio has released Valheim's major Ashlands update on the public test branch version of the game. It's available to play now on both Steam and the Microsoft Store (PC Game Pass). The text below explains how to access this branch.
- The update massively overhauls the Ashlands biome with flametal weapons you can enhance with gems, new structures and building materials, some fiery environmental hazards, and tons of new enemies.
- The main threat in the biome is the Charred, a faction of undead skeletons that fights from the battlements of its huge castles. To breach the defenses of these fortresses effectively, you'll need to build the update's new catapult and battering ram siege weapons.
- If you intend to check the Ashlands update out, make sure you're playing on a world in which you didn't explore the biome yet. If you don't, the Ashlands will still be in their barren work-in-progress state from before.
