Terraria 1.4.5 makes it easier than ever to keep your villagers happy

Terraria 1.4.5 gets a little bit closer every time I write about it, if only by the inevitable passage of the days. We've had such a stacked gaming calendar lately that I can't be too upset about the wait, but I'm still ready for a fresh excuse to return to one of the biggest-selling and best indie games ever made. As it delivers the Terraria State of the Game for September 2025, developer Re-Logic still isn't quite ready to lock an exact date in, but it does tease that it's "truly at the final stages." It also shows off an NPC change that is going to be fantastic news for first-timers, and a welcome addition for all.

Head of business strategy Ted 'Loki' Murphy says the team is "aiming to reach the 'content complete' stage within the next couple of weeks." In practical terms, that will mean all of the new content and features that will make it into Terraria 1.4.5 are done, leaving just testing, tweaking, and bug fixing.

"Of course, that testing/fixing process takes a good amount of time and is somewhat unpredictable," Murphy cautions, emphasizing that Re-Logic is working with partners to reach its goal of "a global synchronized launch" across all platforms."

With that established, it's Terraria 1.4.5 spoiler time, and while this might not be as flashy as the sandbox game's recently revealed, Palworld-themed mining companions, it's a very big deal.

In the new patch, villager NPCs will no longer require an empty house in order for them to appear, meaning they can show up as soon as their other requirements are met. Additionally, if there's currently no space for them to move in, they'll ask if one could be created, and they'll make it much clearer exactly what component parts are needed to count as a valid home.

NPCs have long been one of the most obscure aspects of Terraria, so this should provide much more clarity for newcomers, but it's also handy if you're a veteran. If you only need a couple of things from a vendor, you can snatch up their stock and let them move on once night falls without making space for them.

You also won't need to keep an empty apartment ready just in case, and if you ever forget one of the required parts you'll be quickly reminded. Re-Logic says it's also "added visualization for how housing is scanned" for extra clarity.

Elsewhere, there are a few other little hints to be discovered, such as the ability to stack cannonballs as a deployable item as seen in the elaborate pirate ship image below. It's remarkably controllable, too, with the ability to place and remove individual balls to achieve your desired look. Chalk it up as another win for the decorators among us.

"We know that this update has taken far too long to get out to you all, and we are sorry for that," Murphy concludes. "We do hope that you enjoy it once it is out, and that you are excited for what else is in store for the future or Terraria.

"More on that in the months ahead. For now, we are all in on the push to get this update out to you as quickly as possible." As always, I'm willing to wait for that elusive Terraria 1.4.5 release date, but we'll keep bringing you all of the latest news in the meantime.

The best Terraria mods mean there's no need to wait to start a new playthrough; alternatively, hop into one of the best Terraria servers in 2025 and see what they have to offer.

Whether you want to regale us with tales of your favorite Terraria moments or simply speculate when 1.4.5 will land, you can do so in the PCGamesN community Discord server, where you can chat with staff and readers alike.