While 2021 was Albion Online's biggest year yet, there's tons more in store for 2022. In our first Dev Talk of the year, Game Director
Robin Henkys takes a look back at the past year, before looking forward to some major changes, improvements, and updates coming to the world of Albion in 2022.
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No time to watch the video, or prefer a written summary? Then read on…
[h3]2021: A Huge Year for Albion[/h3]
2021 was a year of major reworks to some of Albion's biggest existing features. Some of these overhauls include:
- Faction Warfare
- Hellgates
- The entire Open World
- Guild Seasons
- Quality of Life Improvements: Loadouts, Rerolling, Land Sales
At the same time, entirely new content was introduced to the game, including:
- War Gloves
- Elite Levels
- The Conqueror’s Challenge
- Numerous new Open World objectives
2021 also saw the long-awaited official mobile launch, with extensive work done throughout the year to improve, expand, and optimize the mobile experience. In short, we made Albion Online better and more accessible to players around the world.
[h3]Coming in 2022[/h3]
In 2022, the goal is to find a good mix of new content, updating existing systems, and improving accessibility for new players.
Reworked Weapon Lines Work has already begun on a complete overhaul of existing weapon lines. First up is a full rework of all
Magic Staffs in the game, including:
- Improved visuals, audio, and VFX
- New spells added
- Outdated spells reworked
Open World ObjectivesThe next major open-world feature to be improved is
Castles and Castle Outposts:
- Chests will spawn more dynamically and show their value on the world map
- Provide more fights throughout the day to keep the open world exciting
- Castle layouts, visuals and gameplay will be improved
Roads of AvalonNew content will be added and rewards for playing in the Roads increased. They'll also be adjusted to better suit small-group play.
Furthermore, an entirely new type of Road called the
Mists is coming:
- Focused on solo player experience
- Accessed through special entrances that only allow single players
- Mists feature gathering, upgrading mobs, treasures, mob camps, and other content without risk from large groups
Making High-Level Gameplay More Accessible
- Reworked Guild Finder will make it easier to find guilds by interests, language, and time zone
- Portal cities expanded into fortified Outlands Settlements:
- Offers new players safe areas with protective shrines
- Offers experienced players more convenience, with full access to city banks and marketplaces
- To reduce the hassle of dying, equipment is saved as a Loadout after death
- New guides and tips added about ganking and strategies to deal with it
Recurring Gameplay Events
- Crafting events will boost crafting particular item lines for a short time, offering advantages for crafters and economy players
- Other events will boost Hellgates, Faction Warfare, or open-world exploration to offer new experiences and reward proficiency in different activities
Additional Improvements and Features
- Improved gathering gear and "Tomes of Gathering"
- Reinvigorated Crystal League with options for casual and hardcore players
- Trophies from PvP kills as keepsakes of victory over a guild or player
We'll talk about these features in more detail soon – until then, thanks for watching!
