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Windrose’s Ashlands Update Will Replace Faction Ship Variants With Broader Customization

The overhaul will add mix-and-match exterior options and functional hold modules, while keeping ship interiors limited to designated building spots.

Mihaela Kicevski3 minutes ago

0 5 2 minutes read

A pirate places a highlighted workbench module inside a ship’s wooden hold.

Windrose’s first major update, Ashlands, will replace preset faction-specific ship variants with a class-based customization system, giving captains more freedom to mix exterior looks and outfit their holds. Kraken Express details the planned overhaul in its Steam announcement.

Right now, Brethren of the Coast and Blackbeard’s Crew each have faction-specific ship versions. Their hulls and sails account for much of each vessel’s visual variation, and some exterior pieces are tied to particular versions. Extending that system to every faction would also leave the studio supporting a growing number of ship designs and combinations.

Under the new approach, players will choose a ship class, such as the Ketch, and use the full set of customization options available for it. Faction-locked details will become part of a broader exterior system, alongside new visual choices. The plan revises an earlier Ashlands outline that included more faction ship variants and at least one new ship class.

The ship’s hold will have room for useful modules

A ship’s interior is also planned to become more than cargo space. Players will be able to install functional and decorative pieces below deck, including a workbench and a cooking fire. Kraken Express is considering extra storage containers alongside the regular cargo hold, though they may not be accessible remotely through the Flagship tab.

A cooking hearth and cookware installed below deck

Some modules may also help tailor a ship to an expedition, a cargo run, or a fight at sea. The studio is looking at additional crafting and utility options, as well as ways to involve the crew more in ship setup and naval gameplay. Cannon and other ship-system details are still in development.

Ship interiors will have designated building spots rather than freeform construction. Kraken Express says that limit helps protect performance on technically complex vessels and keeps movement through their tight spaces clear.

The faction-specific variants will be removed, but players will not lose their progress. Kraken Express has not finalized how existing ships will transition, and says resources from any dismantled ships will be refunded in full.

Which planned hold feature would make the biggest difference to your voyages, a workbench, a cooking fire, or the extra storage the studio is considering? Keep up with the planned ship classes, hold modules, and crew systems on X, Bluesky, YouTube, Instagram, Steam, and Telegram.

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