Windrose’s Ashlands Update Arrives This Winter With Ship Customization Rework

Windrose is getting its first major update this winter. Developer Kraken Express and publisher Pocketpair showed a new trailer for Ashlands during The Triple-i Initiative on October 9, giving players the release window and a first look at what’s next for the pirate survival crafting game.

The biggest confirmed change so far is a rework of ship customization. Kraken Express says it’s moving away from faction-specific ship variants, including the current Brethren of the Coast and Blackbeard’s Crew versions, because the system limited visual options and would be hard to expand across Windrose’s wider set of factions.

After Ashlands, players will pick a ship class, such as a Ketch, then customize it from a broader pool of available parts instead of choosing from separate faction versions. Some visuals that were previously locked to faction ships will be folded into the wider customization system, along with new options.

Existing faction-specific ship variants are being removed, but the studio says players won’t lose progress. Details on the migration process are still coming, though any resources from dismantled ships will be fully refunded.

Ashlands will also expand what players can do below deck. The ship’s hold is being turned into a more useful space, with planned options like a workbench and cooking fire. Kraken Express is also looking at extra storage containers, though they may not work exactly like the main ship inventory or be accessible through the Flagship tab.

Don’t expect full free-form building on ships, though. The studio says ship interiors will use designated building spots due to performance concerns and the need to keep tight spaces readable for players and crew.

Kraken Express also teased more ship-related systems, including work on making crews feel more involved and expanding how cannons and other ship systems can be used. Those details are still being held back for later Ashlands updates.

Further reading: Official Windrose site