Dev Talk: Development Update July 2025

The Abyssal Depths update has been live for a few weeks, bringing fresh life to Albion’s instanced PvP and new player experience. In this Dev Talk, Game Director Moritz Bokelmann looks at how the update is performing so far and offers an early look at the upcoming Faction Warfare rework.

Abyssal Depths

Instanced Content

• The Depths have seen strong engagement from both competitive and casual players
  • Over 4 million sessions have already been played
  • Players spent over 100 years of collective playtime in the first few weeks

• The risk-reward balance seems just right, keeping a wide range of players involved

• The Antiquarian’s Den is working well as a hub for hell-themed PvP content
  • Increased population across all modes in Hellgates and Corrupted Dungeons
  • Players appreciate the cohesive feel of the entire hell-themed experience

New Player Experience

• Quality-of-life changes are helping new players settle in more smoothly with:
  • Clearer progression paths
  • Better onboarding experience

• Early signs suggest improved retention, though it’s still too soon for long-term data

Overall, the update has largely been met with a positive response, and we’ll continue to pay attention to your feedback as we move forward.

What’s Next: Faction Warfare Rework

Planned for release this fall, the next major update will bring a significant rework to Faction Warfare. This core PvP system plays a key role in Albion’s open-world activity, and the team aims to build on its foundation to make it more engaging, accessible, and rewarding.

Faction Warfare’s Role

• Acts as a stepping stone between casual open-world content and high-stakes guild warfare
• Supports meaningful, repeatable PvP activity across the map
• Drives regional conflict and player circulation, enriching Albion’s dynamic economy

Current Issues

• The frontline system isn’t consistently bringing opposing groups into conflict
• Long travel times to conflict zones create friction and missed opportunities
  • Many players bypass each other, and fights often fizzle out before others can arrive

• Gameplay variety is limited, with most activity focused solely on capturing Outposts

Areas of Improvement

• Refocus fighting into clearer hotspots to encourage more frequent and predictable PvP
  • This includes reducing travel time and making active zones easier to reach

• Introduce a wider variety of objectives to prevent repetition and deepen tactical play
• Improve accessibility for solo players and pickup groups
  • Without requiring guild membership, players should still be able to find allies and jump into the action

The update is still in early development, but we’ll share more details as soon as we’re able. As always, your feedback is important, so we’re eager to hear your ideas. Watch the full Dev Talk above and share your thoughts in the comments!