The Carnival Challenge has arrived, and amidst the joyful chaos, the swift and cunning Terrorbird streaks through the festivities. Built for the chase, this relentless predator thrives on the thrill of pursuit, its invisibility and speed making it a master of ambush and retreat. Venture into the open world, earn Challenge Points, and bring this untamed hunter to your side before the curtain falls!
SADDLED TERRORBIRD: This month’s Challenge brings back the charming, lightning-fast Saddled Terrorbird, a speedy mount that will carry you quickly across the lands of Albion. With an above-average base move speed and an additional invincibility/speed burst spell, it’s the perfect ride for those who need to cover some ground quickly and safely.
AVATAR RING: Along with the Saddled Terrorbird, you’ll unlock the Carnival Challenge Avatar Ring when you reach this month’s Challenge Point goal. Give your avatar a colorful, festive look all year round! This non-tradable item permanently unlocks this avatar border for one character, or can be traded for one Adventurer’s Token at the Vanity Merchant.
SEASONAL SPECIALS: Unlock weekly Carnival Challenge chests to get valuable rewards like Adventurer’s Tomes, resources, and silver bags, along with a chance at carnival-themed Wardrobe Skins. You can also get three furniture items: the Carnival Firework, Carnival Arch, and Carnival Costume Cart.
How to participate in the Adventurer’s Challenge
The Adventurer’s Challenge is a monthly event where you can earn exclusive rewards such as mounts, Tomes of Insight, bags of Silver, and more. By gathering, fishing, farming, and defeating monsters, you’ll earn Challenge Points that fill daily, weekly, and monthly progress bars. To track your progress, open the Adventurer’s Challenge UI by clicking on the Activities menu.
While only Premium players can unlock the Monthly Rewards (Avatar Ring, Mount) and Weekly Rewards (Challenge Chests), anyone can claim the Daily Rewards, which include 10 Learning Points and a Tier 4 Tome of Insight. Non-Premium players also make progress on all reward tracks, so when you’re ready to unlock Premium, your earned rewards will be waiting for you!
Dev Talk: Kill Trophies, Weapons, Journal & More
Rogue Frontier, Albion Online’s next major update, arrives February 3. Having looked at many of its features in our previous Dev Talk, today we explore Kill Trophies, new Crystal Weapons, a new Albion Journal category, new Dynamic Resource Hotspots, and a new economic stabilization mechanism. Game Director Robin Henkys and Head of Production Moritz Bokelmann took a moment to bring you the details.
Kill Trophies
Kill Trophies are new furniture items that immortalize your PvP victories.
When you kill another player, a Kill Trophy may drop
They display stats about about the encounter, such as:
Who you killed
Their equipment
When and where the kill occurred
Each Trophy’s look is determined by where the kill happened
Open world: a triumphant standard
Hellgates and Corrupted Dungeons: a demonic monument
The Mists: a knightly statue
Kill Trophies are tradable
New Crystal Weapons
Three brand-new Crystal Weapons become available when Rogue Frontier launches.
Rotcaller Staff (Cursed Staff): Summon a cursed spectre which spews deadly a mist
Skystrider Bow (Bow): Jump into the air and fire up to three shots onto your enemies below
Forcepulse Bracers (War Gloves): Dash towards a target, infusing your auto-attacks and Q and W abilities with additional magical damage
New Journal Category
Rogue Frontier introduces a new Albion Journal category: Creatures.
A bestiary containing most of Albion’s enemies
Shows their appearance and describes where to find them
Offers unique rewards, such as
Hunting-themed wardrobe skins
The Emerald Basilisk Swamp Dragon mount skin
Dynamic Resource Hotspots
Three new types of Dynamic Resource Hotspot are coming.
Medium Resource Hotspots
Larger gathering zones with a single resource type
Found in Tier 5 to Tier 8 regions
Open-world Resource Guardians are now exclusively found in these
Resource Mists
Accessed via a new type of Wisp
Temporary regions rich in one resource type
Coming in two variants
Small Resource Mists are for solo players
Medium Resource Mists allow multiplayer encounters
Additionally, small Dynamic Resource Templates can now spawn Resource Mobs.
Season Changes
Changes are coming to the Guild Season structure from Season 26.
Guild Seasons will now last roughly two months, rather than three
A content update will be released every other season
This extends the production cycle, for more impactful updates
Seasonal challenge requirements and rewards have been updated for this new schedule
A new self-balancing economic mechanism will soon be introduced to help stabilize the prices of Gold and Premium when purchased with Silver, ensuring a healthy economy over the long run.
This makes daily adjustments to the prices of certain ingame services, and the amount of Silver generated ingame
The rate of change will be slow, and decrease further over time
Prices will gradually stabilize at a reasonable level for each server
Slow, gradual adjustments prevent economic shocks and overreaction to temporary trends
We can’t wait to see all of Rogue Frontier’s new features in action when the update launches on February 3, and we hope to see you ingame then!
AOTV Interviews: Johannes Geier
It’s time for another AlbionTV interview! Environment Artist Johannes Geier joined Shozen to talk about Albion Online’s artistic style, environmental storytelling, and recent new approaches to environment design in the game.
(Note: This video is only available in English.)
In case you missed our other interviews, check them out in our Videos section, and be sure to follow AlbionTV on YouTube (youtube.com/@albiontv) and Twitch (twitch.tv/albiononline) for more content!
The Smallscale Cup Begins Today
A new 20v20 tournament with high-octane action and big prizes begins today – the Smallscale Cup!
This massive, er, smallscale tournament starts today, and runs until the finals on February 15 and 16. There are more than 20 teams signed up, and more than 500 million Silver in prize money on offer. In addition, the winners will each receive a full vanity set of their choice, while the runners-up each get a mount skin. With all of this up for grabs, this tournament promises high-stakes, high-intensity fun!
The matches will be streamed live by members of the Albion Online Creators Program – for details on channels and times, join the official Smallscale Cup Discord here: https://discord.gg/5rGgHVGM2x. And for regular highlights and clips, subscribe to the dedicated Smallscale Cup YouTube channel (youtube.com/@SmallscaleCup).
Here’s the tournament schedule:
Jan 28 - Feb 1: Pool phase
Feb 3 - Feb 6: 1st knockout round
Feb 7 - Feb 10: 2nd knockout round
Feb 11 - Feb 14: 3rd knockout round
Feb 15 - Feb 16: Finals
Be sure to tune in to see these dramatic fights play out, and good luck to all the teams!
Get the Jade Guardian with the Lunar New Year Bundle
Celebrate the Lunar New Year with us and welcome good fortune and prosperity into your adventures! Until February 10 at 10 UTC, you can get the brand-new Jade Guardian Swiftclaw skin in our Lunar New Year Bundle.
This exclusive bundle includes:
Jade Guardian Mount Skin: Transform your Swiftclaw into a majestic guardian lion
3,888 Gold: A fortuitous amount symbolizing prosperity and wealth
This offer is available on all platforms, but you can get the best price when you get it from the Albion Online Web Shop or native client.
The Jade Guardian is more than just a mount skin – it’s a symbol of protection and prosperity. Its design, inspired by the revered guardian lions, embodies the Lunar New Year’s spirit of renewal, luck, and fortune. And with 3,888 Gold, you’re starting the year with a lucky number and enough riches to unlock Premium, trade for Silver, or to buy more skins for your collection.
Don’t let this chance pass – this unique skin is only available until February 10.
May your year be filled with the brilliance of jade and the wealth of gold!
This Weekend is the Final Invasion Day of the Season
As Season 25 reaches its climax, this weekend brings its final Invasion Day! Across all three servers, guilds are preparing for their final push, hoping to make a charge up the Season Rankings.
Here’s how things stand currently:
Albion Europe: With the season coming to a head, will Take Care take all? With them currently in first place with 820,000 points, and their fellow alliance member, Black Order, second with 469,000 points, the YUH alliance appears well-placed to take the top spots. But that could all change, as the GIRTH alliance members Heralds of Valhalla, (380,000 points) and Contingent (312,000 points) sitting in third and fourth place could look to make some plays on the final Invasion Day to push Black Order out of the top three. And maybe, just maybe, could Take Care lose everything they've worked so hard for this season. But that's a BIG maybe.
Albion Asia:Upper Class is looking to smash the all-time Season Points record this season and, with 1,300,000 points at the moment, they only need another 100,000 points to take the crown off One Gin, who set the record last season. All eyes are on them, then, as the season comes to a climax. Elsewhere, the HOT alliance is making their presence felt after they moved into the inner-Outlands on the last Invasion Day, taking control of the zones previously belonging to the SQUAD alliance, and they’re now locked a constant battle for control of the area from Razorrock Ravine all the way across to Razorrock Verge, with their coalition member JIN. As the season comes to an end, Season 26 is shaping up to be an absolute blood bath!
Albion Americas: Speaking of records, PIVAS has eyes on the record books themselves, as they push to take the season crown and set a points record themselves. Although they're a bit behind Upper Class’ total right now, with 1,110,000 points, they can catapult themselves forward on the final Invasion Day. It seems that other guilds have different ideas, though, as Make Albion Great Again of the CHEF alliance, along with their other coalition members, are launching attacks and raiding PIVAS territories regularly – a constant thorn in the side as the final days draw nearer. Could their attacks end up costing PIVAS the all-time points record?
Watch Live on AlbionTV
If that’s whetted your appetite, be sure not to miss the action this weekend on AlbionTV (twitch.tv/AlbionOnline)! Join your hosts Robinhoodrs, Shozen, Lewpac, Bogul, and Tazzik at these times:
Albion Asia: January 25, 14:00 UTC
Albion Europe: January 25, 18:00 UTC
Albion Americas: January 26, 01:00 UTC
As the season comes to a climatic end, Season 26 is just around the corner, with a shortened format and some other big changes on the way – read about them here, and get ready for more drama!
AOTV Interviews: Moritz Bokelmann
A new AlbionTV interview is here! In this video, Sandbox Interactive’s Head of Production Moritz Bokelmann joins Lewpac to discuss his journey as an Albion Online player, his role as producer, and the game’s new development cycle.
(Note: This video is only available in English.)
In case you missed our other interviews, check them out in our Videos section, and be sure to follow AlbionTV on YouTube (youtube.com/@albiontv) and Twitch (twitch.tv/albiononline) for more content!
Big Changes are Coming with Season 26!
With the Rogue Frontier update arriving February 3, the Outlands are poised to be more vibrant than ever. This sets the stage for a faster-paced Guild Season, where every guild member, from fierce warriors to diligent gatherers, has a critical role in the pursuit of glory. Let's dive into some of the changes coming with Season 26.
Guild Season Changes
Beginning with Season 26, seasons will be reduced to 59 days, with a faster-paced, more intense dynamic. Major content updates will now arrive every four months instead of three, allowing for two full seasons within the same update cycle.
Territories will reset three times during a season: at the start, in the middle, and on the final weekend. The mid-season Invasion Day introduces the double point-scoring period, meaning this high-stakes phase now covers half the season (previously it was a third). This heightens the need for sharp strategic planning, with greater opportunity for guilds to dramatically change the course of a season. Off-seasons will alternate between twelve and five days.
Balance Adjustments
Several balance adjustments accompany the shorter season:
Might requirements for Guild Challenges are being reduced
Territories will generate 50% more Fortification Points each day
Season Points are being rebalanced:
Significant boosts to PvE, Corrupted Dungeons, and gathering, encouraging open-world exploration and enhancing the value of non-PvP contributions
Energy Crystals will offer 20% less Season Points, to account for the double scoring phase now covering half the season
The overall Season Point output should remain much the same, so Headquarters Hideout requirements are unchanged
Might, Favor and Loot from Crystal Creatures is being doubled, but they will respawn 50% less frequently
Crystal Arena promotion and demotion values are being adjusted for faster rank progression
Conqueror's Challenge Chest values are being scaled in proportion to the reduced season length
Full details can be found in this Forum post, and the upcoming patchnotes accompanying the launch of Rogue Frontier.
Smuggler Activities and Challenges
The Rogue Frontier update introduces the Smuggler Faction to the Outlands, giving solo players and smaller guilds new opportunities to earn Might and Favor by freeing captured smugglers and recovering crates from ambushed wagons.
These activities contribute to a new Guild Challenge category, offering fresh opportunities for guild members to support their teams.
Get Ready for the Action
Guild Seasons lie at the heart of Albion's competitive scene, where guilds vie for territories, Season Points, and top rankings. Participating allows you to contribute to your guild’s success through diverse activities – even if PvP isn’t your focus, there are plenty of ways to help secure rewards and climb the ranks. Ready to get started? Use the Guild Finder to connect with a guild and embark on your journey to guild glory.
These changes promise a faster, action-packed season, keeping the competition intense and every moment engaging. Good luck, and may your efforts lead your guild to glory. See you on the battlefield!
AOTV Interviews: Nick Yaloz aka Lucrative
Another AlbionTV interview has landed, and this time it’s with Sandbox Interactive’s Combat Balance Designer Nick Yaloz – or as you may know him, Lucrative. Nick joined Tazzik to talk about his journey from player to developer, explore the intricacies of combat balancing in Albion Online, and reveal his personal favorite weapons.
In case you missed our other interviews, check them out in our Videos section, and be sure to follow AlbionTV on YouTube (youtube.com/@albiontv) and Twitch (twitch.tv/albiononline) for more content!
Albion Online Wins Two Awards From MMORPG.com!
As 2025 kicks off, we’re delighted to report that Albion Online was a big winner in the annual MMORPG.com awards, picking up Best Indie MMO and Best Mobile MMO of 2024!
This is the second consecutive year that Albion Online has been named Best Indie MMO by the writers at MMORPG.com, recognition of the game’s continued development in a crowded field. The site’s editors had this to say:
This year was a good year for the team at Sandbox Interactive, with multiple updates bringing new content and balancing to the sandbox MMO, from its Crystal Raiders update to the more recent Horizons update which sets things up for 2025. With a great mix of both PvE and PvP content, its player-driven economy, and its interesting setting, Albion Online feels poised to continue to impress into the future.
And Albion Online’s truly cross-platform experience resulted in it winning Best Mobile MMO for the first time:
For many of the reasons listed above as to why it's the best Indie MMO of 2024, bringing all that gameplay to a mobile platform is no easy feat, yet Sandbox Interactive had done so in a way that does not feel like it's a cheapened version or pared down version of its MMORPG. I have drained my phone battery to Albion quite a bit this year, finally getting me more into mobile gaming than before, and I daresay that will continue well into 2025 as the team moves to a faster update cadence with its new seasonal model.
These awards cap a huge 2024 for the game, with four content updates and a new server added, and things are looking bright as we move into 2025 with the Rogue Frontier update. Thanks to the staff at MMORPG.com for their recognition, and thanks to you, the players, for making the game what it is today!
