Masters of Albion‘s New Beginnings update is live, overhauling several early access systems from nighttime battles and settlement orders to the God Hand’s interactions with the world. The changes also link daytime work more closely to defenses after dark and address feedback about repetitive nights and poor optimization.
In an interview with PCGamesN, Peter Molyneux described the game’s launch as a “sketch” and said New Beginnings helps “turn it into a painting.” He said 22cans made the changes after listening to community feedback. Steam reviews were marked Mixed at 64 percent at the time of the interview.
Performance and progression get a rebuild
Performance was the team’s first priority. Molyneux said the team had aimed for 30 frames per second on recommended-spec PCs, but the game was now averaging between 60 and 80 frames per second. He said the higher frame rate should make Albion feel smoother. Replacing the old system also required the art team to redo nearly every asset.
Night battles now feed into God Hand powers
Previously, nighttime attacks could feel like a hurdle between one day and the next. New Beginnings gives players a reason to approach each defense strategically. Winning a battle efficiently earns a score that can be spent on buffs, and better performance earns a higher score. Molyneux said there are now around 200 buffs to unlock.
Night challenges also award buff cards that feed into the revamped Arcadium. The system was previously arranged like a sprawling tech tree, but it now uses cards. Players spend in-game currency to unlock abilities such as lightning, while nighttime buffs can strengthen those cards. Molyneux described the result as a card-collecting system for leveling up God Hand powers.
Power choices now carry consequences beyond the Arcadium. They push players toward good or evil, while everyday decisions affect that alignment too. How players treat workers and how much profit they take from deliveries help determine whether they become a hero or a villain.
Orders have stories and clues
Product orders remain a way to earn currency, but Order Givers now attach narrative arcs to the tasks. Each order has its own story, and a tip can reward players who work out the hint connected to the job. The added clues give players something to interpret instead of simply repeating the same production routine.
The God Hand also responds to the world in more ways. Players can pick wheat, move trees, and place characters in a dunking stall, where they can even dunk them to death. Grass parts and trees sway as the hand moves through the landscape. A bench offers a gentler bit of meddling, since putting two characters together repeatedly can lead them to fall in love.
Orkenstone corruption raises the stakes at night
The Orkenstone’s corruption spreads across Albion as nights pass, withering trees and crops in its path. Corrupted areas can block off parts of the map after dark, and crossing into them damages anyone who enters. Walls and defenses cannot stop the spread, though a special decoration can push it back.
The opening of the game has also been rebuilt, though Molyneux offered few details beyond calling the new version bigger and better. New colossal structures now stand across Albion, and he described them as hiding a clue at a particular location.
PC Gamer’s account of the original early access build described repetitive production, nighttime battles that could feel like chores, and limited ways to interact with the world. New Beginnings directly addresses those areas, linking the order system, Arcadium, and night defenses while expanding the God Hand’s reach.
Masters of Albion remains in Early Access and is available through its Steam page.
Which part of New Beginnings would most change how you play a night in Albion, the buff cards, moral choices, story-led orders, or expanded God Hand interactions? For more on Albion’s spreading corruption and mysterious structures, stay connected with us on X, Bluesky, YouTube, Instagram, Steam, and Telegram.
