Windrose Developers to Remove Old Faction Ships and Showcase Ashlands Update Mechanics

A new approach to customization demands sacrifices.

Developer Kraken Express recently reminded players of the pirate survival game Windrose by sharing new teasers for the upcoming Ashlands update, which will introduce a wealth of new content to the game.

The developers have decided to overhaul how ship customization is organized:

We always intended to expand this system, but when the time came to seriously work on its development, the limitations of the initial approach became much more noticeable. Currently, the system effectively offers three versions of a ship: the base model, the Shore Brotherhood, and the Blackbeards. At first glance, this division works well for faction individuality and allows each variant to retain its own character. But as the game evolved, it became increasingly clear that alongside this expressiveness, we also acquired a whole range of limitations.

Consequently, the team decided to drop separate faction-specific ship versions. Instead of choosing between a base version and a faction variant—such as the Shore Brotherhood or the Blackbeards—players will select the ship class itself and then customize it to their liking.

Windrose will gain new options for altering a ship’s exterior appearance. Some elements that previously existed only as part of specific faction variants will be integrated into the general customization system alongside brand-new additions.

In addition, interior ship customization will be expanded, while the developers work in parallel on new systems tied to the ships themselves.

This new approach has a downside: existing faction ship variants will be removed. The developers have promised to share details regarding the transition to the new customization system at a later date.

The creators of Windrose will remove old faction ships and showcase new content and expanded mechanics from the Ashlands update — Image source: Kraken Express

The Ashlands update for Windrose is expected to release “this winter.” The game continues to be developed in Steam Early Access.

Related articles