The developers of Wind Rose dropped anchor, and released some exciting Ashlands biome news. Keep in mind, however, everything shown is still a work in progress and could change during development. The studio said it often revises or removes features after playtesting, so the final update may differ from its current plans.

The update will continue the game’s main story and expand its side quests. Players will keep searching for the Obols. According to the developers, the artifact has corrupted a region already scarred by ancient volcanic eruptions. The team also said it’s working to let existing players continue their adventure without losing the progress they’ve already made.

Ashlands will include new islands, enemies, resources, crafting recipes, points of interest, equipment, and a new boss encounter. Additional factions are planned as part of the region, alongside new armor and weapon variants. The developers also want the biome to stand apart from previous areas by introducing new gameplay mechanics that fit its environment.

Base building is also set to receive attention after player feedback following the Early Access launch. The studio plans to expand building sets with additional structural pieces, add more decorative objects, and introduce quality-of-life improvements. Camp NPCs, which proved popular with players, are also expected to receive further expansion.

The team is also exploring ways to deepen sailing and ship combat, improve AI behavior, and introduce at least one new ship class in Ashlands, with Brigantine, Fluyt, and Galleon designs currently in development. Tasharen Entertainment is also investigating wind affecting sailing, although they emphasized they want the mechanic to stay accessible rather than become a detailed simulation.

A release date hasn’t been announced yet, but we have a release window, with the studio saying more details will be shared as development progresses, along with a teaser video. But man, I sure hope they can add that wind affected sailing. That’d be the crow’s nest on top of the mast. Or cherry on top of the… you get the idea.