V Rising is one of my long-standing game obsessions, as I’ve poured hundreds of hours into it since its early access launch. Stunlock Studios managed to perfectly merge two of my favorite things, crafting and vampires, to create a unique gaming experience I have yet to find elsewhere. The free Secrets of Gloomrot update reignited my excitement, but it seems there’s more to come. Stunlock Studios has just revealed another massive update that’s underway, the game’s full 1.0 release which is accompanied by the final boss, new zone, and more.
Stunlock Studios says that the team is “set on making this next major update our full release of V Rising.” The 1.0 release will drop sometime in “the second quarter of 2024.” If you’re wondering what the full version of the survival game entails, the dev describes it as “a fully fleshed-out and enticing journey through Vardoran, with a captivating beginning and a heart-stopping finale.” A “complete vampire experience” is on its way with 1.0, including a menacing final boss.
If you’re hoping to see Dracula in V Rising’s grand finale, so am I. While the final boss doesn’t yet have a publicly released identity, Stunlock Studios describes it as the “ultimate rival.” The developer says that the boss will accompany the “final challenge,” and that we’ll be seizing the throne of “Vardoran’s top predator.” Since “an experience that feels like the grand finale of an age-old legend” is coming, “such a grand tale requires a grander stage.”
We’re getting an entirely new zone, and it looks like a white, wintery wonderland (if you ignore all of the bloodshed, death, and monsters of course). “It’s time to venture beyond Hallowed Mountains into dark and icy realms,” the dev writes, “where history has been frozen and unseen treats await.” Frozen history, ruins, and a final, legendary boss… I’m really thinking (more so hoping) that Dracula could be on the way.
A new biome and boss aren’t the only features coming, though. We’re also getting some aesthetically pleasing content. Stunlock Studios is “working on some sizzling cosmetic overhauls,” hinting toward us customizing a vampire’s “ensemble down to the last detail.” The team is “brainstorming ways to craft varied outfits” as well as different ways to “experiment with vibrant color palettes or “potential dyeing techniques.”
Whether it’s noble attire fit for a fancy vampire masquerade or an otherworldly gown, Stunlock Studios has some ethereal outfits planned for the 1.0 release. As a fan of customization in games, I’m very ready to sheath my weapon and dress to impress, personally. All of the old gear is also getting a fashionable overhaul, making functional outfits much more pleasing to the eye.
Other big changes coming include the implementation of live events and a “significant revamp” to the game’s spell and progression systems. You can read more about 1.0 on the dev’s blog. It’s important to note that the full release “does not mean ending the game’s development.” Despite the finale coming with the complete version, Stunlock Studios says there will still be “plenty of ways for us to bring more bloodshed, decadence, and terrifying vampire magic to the table beyond 1.0.”
For those of you just as obsessed with all things to do with the blood-sucking creatures of the night, you can browse through our rundown of the most spooktacular vampire games out there. Alternatively, check out a few of our other favorite indie games if you want to uncover some of gaming’s similarly fun gems.