Get ready to return to Valheim with the first peek inside a Deep North dungeon

Summer is in full flow, at least for us in the Northern Hemisphere, and that brings the Valheim Midsummer Crown and Maypole back to the Viking survival game. Savor this taste of warmer weather while you can, however, as there will be no such climate to be found in Valheim's Deep North. The final biome left to be fleshed out, the frosty region is set to expand with the beloved Steam game's 1.0 update, and Iron Gate has just given us our first look at a terrifying Deep North dungeon.

It's been a long time since developer Iron Gate stepped away from its official Valheim roadmap in favor of more straightforward goals. Currently, only two steps stand between us and the full, 1.0 launch of Valheim, at which point one of the best Viking games will finally be considered complete. First on the list is a Valheim combat update, and that will be followed by the arrival of the Deep North, which will carry it out of early access.

In its initial reveal of the combat update, Iron Gate noted that improving slope fighting is a priority, along with introducing new armor sets, but it should help battles feel more robust across the board. Now, it shares another tease, this time in the shape of archery targets. These should help hone your ranged skills, letting you know just how close to the center your shots land (and yes, you can retrieve all of your used arrows and bolts after firing them).

You'll want to get your practice in while you can, however, based on this next sneak peek. The video above gives us our first look at a Deep North dungeon, courtesy of a new entry in Iron Gate's Voyage of Hervor Bloodtooth series. Known as Winding Tunnels, these look immediately more nightmarish than the Infested Mines of the Mistlands, or the Charred Fortresses found across the Ashlands. Cramped, dark, and gloomy, I'm already worried about what lurks in their depths.

Put all thoughts of the frozen depths out of your mind for now, then. Instead, take advantage of the ongoing seasonal event; right now and through the end of the first week of July, you can craft the Maypole and Midsummer Crown in Valheim. The former is a comfort-granting structure requiring wood, dandelions, and thistles, while the latter is a decorative armor piece that you can make from ten dandelions at any workbench. Isn't that much more pleasant than searching for shifting shadows in the depths while we wait for word of the Valheim Deep North release date?

Ready for a new playthrough and can't wait for the next update to land? Here are the best Valheim mods, giving you plenty of ways to spice up a fresh adventure. Then take a stroll among the best co-op games in 2025 for ample options to keep you and your friends satisfied.

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