V Rising's 1.0 update will add a new zone, vampire fashion and engine upgrades next year

Bloodsucking build 'em up V Rising got its first major Early Access update earlier this year. Its next major update will be its 1.0 release and it will arrive sometime in "the second quarter of 2024", according to a new developer post which also details underway engine upgrades and details features-to-come.

V Rising was built upon an experimental version of Unity which has since hit 1.0, but which Stunlock say they haven't been able to update until now. They're now working on applying those engine upgrades, which they hope will "overcome previous limitations with optimization and pave the way for a smoother game experience," and that new development tools will allow them to test and iterate on "level and gameplay design in a more organized, quick, and efficient way."

That's simply background work to pave the way towards the 1.0 update itself, which will introduce a new zone set in "dark and icy realms", the concept art for which is seen above. The new area will feature a new faction and new bosses. They're also going to let players customise their clothes more - something they were initially reluctant to add but feel is now possible due to UI changes in previous updates.

Stunlock Studios are also planning on adding live events, new cosmetic options for castles, and "broadening spell accessibility" during the early game to make replays more varied.

The post also notes that, while the next update will be 1.0, "‘complete’ does not mean ending the game’s development." They have ideas for updates beyond the 1.0 launch. You can read more detail in the full developer news post.

Ed drank deep and liked the taste during his early access V Rising review in 2022.