Where Winds Meet is adding a home base, companion creatures, and a goose-led caper

Everstone Studio's Version 1.8 Q&A lays out Blissful Retreat, the new Companion system, and several modes ranging from a goose stealth event to 10-player PvE.

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Where Winds Meet is steering Version 1.8 toward a softer corner of Qinghe. Everstone Studio’s latest dev Q&A puts homestead building, companion creatures, and a goose-driven limited-time event front and center, while also teasing new PvP and PvE activities for players who want more than a quiet life at home.

At the heart of the update is Blissful Retreat, a homestead players will restore after returning to Qinghe as the Young Master. This is not just a cosmetic courtyard makeover. The studio says players will be able to run businesses such as an inn, a porcelain kiln, and a brewery, while also recruiting villagers and animals as Retainers who bring their own talents to the work.

The update also adds Beyond Mundane, a separate Homestead zone built as a private space away from the open world. That area comes with full freedom to build and decorate, with no fixed layout forcing the issue. The goal is to let players shape the space into whatever fits their version of home, whether that means a calm hideaway, a busy street scene, or something far stranger.

Companions and one very determined goose

Version 1.8 also introduces the Companion system, which brings Maverick, Scar, Pudding, and a flock of goose companions into the mix. Players will be able to spend time with them through meals, chats, photos, and play, and those everyday interactions will build a Bond that changes over time. Everstone says the companions will react to the world around them too, including weather like heavy rain, sandstorms, snow, and heat.

As that Bond grows, new interactions, emotes, and rewards will unlock. The update’s tone shifts hard in the limited-time event Phantom Thief Goose, where players take control of Goose Bobo and infiltrate Heaven’s Pier after passing a trial from the Goose Emperor. The event leans into stealth and mischief, though players can also go in fast and loud if they prefer honking, pecking, and bush ambushes to do the work.

That event also pays out Goose Feathers, which can be traded for rewards after treasure is secured at a stash. The framing is comic, but the setup suggests a full side activity built around a goose with a plan and very little patience for martial etiquette.

More than a cozy update

For players who want something harsher than home repair and bird chaos, Version 1.8 is also bringing several combat-focused modes. Tomb of Fortune mixes dungeon crawling with PvP inside an ancient tomb, where treasure hunting comes with the risk of other Wanderers waiting in the shadows.

Ravening Banes is a 10-player mode unlocked at Lv. 91, playable through auto-match or with a squad via Wandering Paths. Clearing the boss gives players a shot at exclusive appearances, including the Decoration Gatekeeper Stele and the Accessory Sweep the Heavens. Martial Path Domain brings five-player coordination into Normal and Hard modes with shifting Mist effects and Martial Spirit to power the group up, while Guild Skyward Bond is opening Hard and Abyss difficulty tiers.

Everstone’s message is pretty clear. Version 1.8 is meant to give players room to slow down, build something of their own, and still jump into tombs, raids, and dungeon runs when the mood changes. The studio also says it will be reading feedback once the update goes live, so the homestead screenshots and goose stories should have an audience waiting.

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Source: Steam

Where Winds Meet is an open world RPG set in the Ten Kingdoms period of medieval China. You take on the role of a swordsman who has grown up during war and conflict. Gameplay includes a mix of sword fighting, martial arts, and magic combat.