The first V Rising expansion will be free, and delivers major improvements to the magic system.
Stunlock Studios Unveils the First V Rising Expansion
The first V Rising expansion is on the horizon, bringing the vampire survival RPG that struck a chord with gamers (including us) one step closer to a full release. And with so much content having been introduced to V Rising since its early access release last May, there's going to be a lot more than just necks for vampires to sink their teeth into when the release date finally arrives.
The V Rising expansion is slated to be the first major content release in May, and will focus heavily on magic. Players will be introduced to Jewels, the items through which spells can be enhanced and modified. Plus, there will be more spell variety, as per the feedback garnered from the early access community.
On the new V Rising expansion, Stunlock released the following statement: "This update will primarily be about strengthening our foundations with new ways to live out the Vampire fantasy. To us, this means enhancing the way you already play by giving you more of what you already love, but it also means adding more layers of depth and complexity to the world to masterfully tie things together. We're taking this time to build the game out and prepare it for a satisfying endgame, where we can build up to an apex moment that lets you fully realize your potential."
Jewels will be obtainable as drops, but most often located in extravagant treasure chests. Players can use them to individually tailor their spells as they see fit, be it to alter the environment, directly damage foes, or enhance their stealth capabilities.
The five prime schools of magic are also receiving a lot of TLC, with Blood, Unholy, Illusion, Chaos, and Frost magic being re-focussed in a way that encourages the magically minded to hone in on one archetype, while also maintaining the benefits of mixing things up.
As V Rising is still in early access, Stunlock isn't shying away from experimental features. One such dry run will include Territories, a feature in which Vampires can claim plots of land which can be expanded with a series of individual tiles rather than placing a Castle Heart.
The intended benefits will include the ability to fit more players in a balanced way, and help to reduce player friction by preventing players from blocking each others' bases. Players can feed back on this new feature by way of a community survey.
The bad news for anyone holding off jumping in until the product is finished is that Stunlock now expects the full release date to be in 2024. However, if it continues on this content-rich trajectory, the final version should be a pretty impressive sight to behold indeed.