Valheim has officially left Early Access more than five years after its original launch, with version 1.0 now available alongside the long-awaited Deep North update. Iron Gate released the full version on September 9, 2026, bringing the survival game to PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2 at the same time as the update arrives on its existing PC, Mac and Xbox platforms. Full cross-play is supported between all available versions.
The centerpiece of Valheim 1.0 is the Deep North, the final major biome planned for the game’s progression. Iron Gate’s launch patch adds more than 40 new weapons, four armour sets, two capes, new trinkets, tools, bombs and ammunition. The biome also introduces more than 10 new creatures, new locations, events, music, mechanics and additional crafting resources.
Building and survival systems have also expanded considerably. Version 1.0 includes more than 80 new buildable pieces, five additional crafting-related structures and more than 30 new crafting materials. Players can also discover more than 20 new food items as they progress through the Deep North and prepare for its tougher enemies and environmental challenges.
Achievements are another major addition to the full release. Iron Gate previously confirmed that Valheim 1.0 would introduce a dedicated achievement system after years without one, with tracking beginning once players install the 1.0 version. Existing saves remain compatible, meaning long-running worlds do not need to be abandoned simply because the game has left Early Access.
There is an important limitation for players continuing older worlds, however. New biome generation works correctly only in areas that have not already been explored, so players who have extensively uncovered the northern edge of their maps may not see the Deep North exactly as intended. Iron Gate recommends beginning a fresh playthrough for the best overall experience, although it is not a requirement.
The studio has also made several performance and quality-of-life improvements as part of the release. These include work aimed at reducing microstutters when zones are loaded in and out of memory, as well as faster saving and other smaller optimizations. Iron Gate has cautioned that very large player-built settlements may not see dramatic performance gains from these changes, with further optimization work planned after launch.
Valheim first entered Steam Early Access on February 2, 2021 and quickly became one of the platform’s biggest survival-game success stories. The game places up to 10 players in a procedurally generated Viking-inspired purgatory, combining exploration, combat, crafting and extensive base building. Over the following years, Iron Gate expanded the world with major biome updates including Mistlands and Ashlands while gradually working toward the final 1.0 structure.
The full launch also significantly expands Valheim’s console reach. PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2 join Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S, with cross-play allowing players on different systems to share servers. The Switch 2 version also supports mouse controls, touchscreen interaction in menus, gyroscope aiming and enhanced vibration features developed with assistance from porting partner Piktiv.
Iron Gate has not committed to another major biome expansion after Deep North. The studio says it intends to continue supporting Valheim with bug fixes and quality-of-life improvements, while the possibility of additional content remains undecided. That makes the Deep North both the culmination of the game’s Early Access roadmap and the final biome required for Valheim to reach its intended 1.0 state.
Valheim 1.0 is available now on PC, Linux, Mac, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2. With the Deep North, dozens of new weapons and building pieces, achievements and full cross-platform support, the September 9 release marks the end of one of the longest-running Early Access journeys among modern survival games.
