We discuss the next major Valheim content update, confirmed to be either Hildir's Quest or Ashlands, including release date speculation, content, and more.

Developer Iron Gate AB's Valheim, since its release on Steam Early Access in February 2021, has seen great success. The survival game is set in a procedurally-generated purgatory inspired by Viking culture and has seen rave reviews from both critics and players. But when is the next major Valheim content update coming out, and could it be Deep North?

This article explains when you can expect the next big Valheim content update to release, alongside the content and new biome we might see based on previous update releases.

Update on 21 June 2023: We've updated this article to reflect the latest information about the next major Valheim update.
Read about the Ashlands biome as confirmed by the Valheim developers. Further, check out the latest details about Ashlands.
While not a new Biome, playes on PC can test the Hilder's Request update right now. It features a new NPC called Hildir the merchant, new locations, new World modifiers, crafting extensions, hair and beard styles, and new items!

Next Major Valheim Update Release Date Speculation

With the Valheim Mistlands update released on 6th December 2022, you shouldn't expect the next major update to release any time soon.

The official Valheim Discord states: "Updates will be released when they’re ready!"

To get an idea of when the Valheim Deep Ashlands or Hildir's Quest update could release, let's look at the game's major content update release date history, starting with the release into Steam Early Access.

With the historical data in mind, our best guestimate is that the next major Valheim update, entitled Ashlands or Hildir's Quest, could release in late 2023 (unlikely) or in Q1 2024. It is, however, possible that the developer could release an entirely different update sooner.

Keep in mind that there have been a bunch of updates in between these dates, as developer Iron Gate AB continues to add smaller pieces of content and features such as crossplay, as well as balance changes and new items along the way. These are just the "Major Valheim content updates."

Valheim Ashlands First Details & Location

Developer Iron Gate AB has confirmed Ashlands as the next biome for Valheim via a blog post and shared some of the first details.

So far, we know that the location is to the far South of the Valheim map. The Valheim Ashlands biome will be a "large chunk of land", so definitely what players are generally used to. 

The developers have also explained that the Ashlands biome is "a land of the dead" and volcanic in nature. Currently, they are exploring the concept further and looking forward to finding out where it leads them. Iron Gate AB further explains a bit about their development process on Ashlands compared to Mistlands:

When it comes to development itself, there is something we would like to do very differently this time. With the Mistlands, we were very secretive. This is great for those who want to discover as much as possible for themselves (which is the main reason why we kept so much hidden), but it’s also not very transparent.

Therefore, our ambition with the development of the Ashlands is to show you a lot more of the process. This will mean you will see things in their early stages, and maybe even things that won’t end up making it into the game at all, but you will also hopefully have a better understanding of how far along the development has gotten.

New Valheim Enemies for Ashlands

The first new Valheim enemies for Ashlands have been revealed. Keep in mind that these are still just concepts, and things might change during the development process. With that in mind, check out the two enemy concept art pieces below.

Valheim The Charred enemy:

Valheim Morgen enemy:

Valheim's Deep North Update Content & Biome

The first major Valheim content update, entitled Hearth and Home added a plethora of base-related features, from the Cartography table to an Oven (so you can bake bread, of course!) and much much more. This update focused heavily on food and building while also rebalancing all weapons in the game. 

The Mistlands update, however, added a completely new Biome alongside new monsters, crafting material, a Mistlands boss, and much more. 

This is an icy mountain biome adjacent to the Mistlands, Mountain, and Ocean biomes. It makes sense that Deep North will be an upcoming Biome to get fleshed out. If Deep North is the focus of an upcoming Valheim update, then we should see the following types of content based on what Mistlands got. Please note that the content and biome are speculations at this point.

• New food items.
• New potions.
• Addtional crafting materials.
• New monster types and a Deep North boss.
• New Lore Stones.
• A new type of dungeon.
• More crafting materials and building items.
• New dreams.

It is important to note that some content previously planned for the "Cult of the Wolf" update was released already, such as Frost Caves. This could form part of Deep North or vice versa.  

Will Valheim's Next Update Be Free?

There is no reason to believe Valheim's next major content update won't be free. Both Hearth and Home, and Mistlands, have been free additions to the game, so it would be very surprising if Ashlands or Hildir's Quest suddenly has an additional price tag.

So there you have everything we know so far about the next major content update for Valheim. We will endeavor to update this article as soon as more information becomes available. 

Valheim Next Major Update: Release Date Speculation, Biome, Content FAQ

When does Valheim Ashlands update release?

Valheim's major content update focused on the Ashlands biome might release in late 2023, but we suspect it will release in Q1 2024.