Five years and seven months after it first launched into Early Access, Valheim 1.0 is out now — and it’s landing with a bang. Iron Gate Studio’s Norse mythology survival game officially left Early Access today, September 9, bringing with it the Deep North biome, brand-new platform support on PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2, and full crossplay across every version. As we covered when the launch date was confirmed, this update marks the true completion of the game’s planned map — and early critics are calling it a triumphant finish.
Valheim 1.0 Deep North Review Scores
With seven critic reviews in so far, Valheim 1.0 is sitting at a 91 on Metacritic — a remarkably strong score for a survival game, a genre that critics have historically reviewed unevenly. Screen Rant’s James Lynch awarded it a 9/10, writing that “all they had to do with the Deep North update was not upset any of the existing features and mechanics, and not only have they done that, they’ve built on the existing foundations admirably.” Lynch singled out Valheim’s building and crafting as “the best in the genre” — high praise from a reviewer who explored every biome from the Meadows to the final north.
What’s in the Deep North
The Deep North is Valheim’s final biome — a frozen endgame region located at the top of the procedurally generated map. Iron Gate has packed it with new enemies, crafting recipes, and weapons including Nord weapons, plus two new dungeons: The Winding Tunnels and the ominously named Gates of Mörkhalla. Building in the Deep North gets a tactile twist too — snow accumulates on structures and players can clear it with shovels, a detail that reviewers called unexpectedly immersive.
PS5 and Switch 2 — Finally Here, with Full Crossplay
Singapore players who’ve been waiting for a console entry point can now jump in. Valheim 1.0 launches simultaneously on PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2 alongside the existing PC (Steam), Mac, Linux, and Xbox versions — and all of them share full crossplay, so a Switch 2 player in Singapore can jump into a server with PC or PS5 friends without any friction. The game is priced at US$29.99 for new buyers across platforms; players who already own it on PC receive the 1.0 update free of charge.
Five Years Well Spent
Valheim entered Steam Early Access in February 2021 with just four biomes and promptly sold 5 million copies in its first month. The journey to 1.0 added the Mistlands, the Ashlands, and now the Deep North through years of steady updates — an Early Access arc that reviewers are citing as one of the genre’s best-managed. With the full game now out and on console for the first time, it’s as good a moment as any for Singapore survival fans to finally make the trek north.
Valheim 1.0 is out now on Steam, PS5, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch 2. Browse more game news on GameTrader.SG.