Valheim 1.0 and Deep North: What Changes for Your Dedicated Server

Valheim 1.0 launched on 9 September 2026 with the Deep North biome, PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2 versions, and crossplay across every platform. On a dedicated server your old world still loads, but the new biome only generates properly in unexplored areas, the save format converts on first load, and mods may break.

After five and a half years in early access, Valheim is out. For a server owner the update hands you three decisions: keep your world or start fresh, what to do about your mod list, and how to get a group spread across PC, Xbox, PlayStation and Switch 2 onto one server. This guide covers what actually changed on the server side.

TL;DR

• Old worlds still load and get the new content, but a well-travelled map will not grow a complete Deep North.
• 1.0 has a new save format. Your world converts the first time 1.0 loads it, so copy it off the server first.
• Crossplay covers every platform. Players join a crossplay dedicated server with its join code.
• Mods are not guaranteed to work. No official mod support, no Steam Workshop, no console mods.
• Update the server before anyone joins, or players hit an "incompatible version" error.

What's new in Valheim 1.0 and the Deep North

Deep North, the frozen biome at the top of the map and the last placeholder biome left, is a big drop rather than a token finish. Iron Gate list more than 40 new weapons, 4 new armour sets, over 10 new creatures, 80+ new building pieces, 30+ new crafting materials and 20+ new food items, plus a final boss, Kall Fimbulbringer, achievements and a grappling hook.

For a server owner the headline number is the build pieces. Your base builders will want to rebuild, and bigger bases mean more objects for the server to keep in sync. If a big build is coming, check your plan has headroom with our RAM calculator.

Should you keep your Valheim world or start fresh for 1.0?

Both answers are valid, for different reasons.

Your old world will load. Iron Gate's 1.0 FAQ confirms old saves are still where you left them and receive new content. You are not forced into a wipe.

But the new biome only generates properly in unexplored areas. Land your group has already visited keeps what was generated there, so on a well-travelled world you would have to sail past your existing exploration to find a proper Deep North.

Iron Gate recommend starting a new playthrough for the best experience. That is a content recommendation, not a technical requirement. Our read, from the server side:

• Long-running world, heavily explored, big bases: keep it. Copy it off the server, update, and sail north until you hit fresh land.
• World more than about half explored, group wants the intended experience: start a second world. Do not delete the old one.
• New or lightly explored world: just keep playing. The new biome generates as you go.

You do not have to choose just one. A dedicated server loads whichever saved world its World Name setting points to. Change the name and restart, and a fresh 1.0 world generates while the old one stays on disk, ready to switch back to.

How to back up your Valheim world before updating to 1.0

1.0 brings a new save system that splits world data into chunks, built to save faster and survive an interrupted save. The first time 1.0 loads an older world it converts it and keeps a copy of the original. Still, a major update is the moment to have your own copy somewhere else.

On our servers, worlds live in .config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim/worlds_local. Before 1.0 a world is a .db file plus a .fwl metadata file; after conversion it uses the new chunked format. Either way, copy the whole folder:

1. Stop the server from the Console tab, so nothing is mid-write.
2. In the Files tab, compress worlds_local and download the archive, or pull it over SFTP. Keep it on your own machine.
3. Start the server, let it update, and confirm the world loads before you delete anything.

Self-hosting on Linux, the same folder sits under ~/.config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim unless your launch line sets -savedir.

Does Valheim 1.0 have crossplay?

Yes. 1.0 brought PlayStation 5 and Switch 2 into the crossplay that Steam, Microsoft Store and Xbox players already shared. Two practical consequences:

• Console players cannot use mods. If one person in your group is on a console, your server is effectively vanilla. That is a group decision, not a setting.
• Your join instructions change. A crossplay server runs on PlayFab instead of Steamworks, and players join with a join code that changes on every restart. Pin the password and current code somewhere everyone can reach.

The platform-by-platform steps are in Valheim crossplay in 2026.

Do Valheim mods work after 1.0?

There is no official mod support, so Iron Gate cannot guarantee any mod works at 1.0. The release also upgraded the Unity engine, exactly the kind of change that breaks BepInEx plugins until each author ships an update. The sane order:

1. Copy the world off the server first, as above.
2. Move your BepInEx/plugins folder somewhere safe rather than deleting it.
3. Update the server and confirm it boots clean with no mods.
4. Add plugins back one at a time, checking each mod's Thunderstore page for a 1.0 release first.

Adding them back in a batch and then debugging a server that will not start is how people lose an evening. Most gameplay mods also have to match between the server and every player's game, and our Valheim dedicated server setup guide covers keeping BepInEx versions in step.

How to update your Valheim dedicated server to 1.0

A client on the current build cannot join a server on an older one. Players either get an "incompatible version" message or find the server missing from the list, which sends people hunting for firewall problems that do not exist.

On BruceNode, restart the server from the Console tab and the update is pulled automatically on boot. Self-hosting, run SteamCMD with app_update 896660 validate (Valheim's dedicated server app ID) before starting. Iron Gate are still shipping 1.0 patches, so make a restart after each one a habit.

Hosting a Valheim 1.0 server on BruceNode

• Plans from 2 GB. Duo (2 GB) is $2.50 a month for 2 to 3 players; Medium (4 GB, $8) is the popular pick for 5 to 10. Pick the plan that fits, and our team can move you to a bigger one later.
• Crossplay on by default, with the join code shown in the console.
• Vanilla, BepInEx or Valheim Plus, picked at checkout.
• Updates on restart, plus a live console, file manager, SFTP and DDoS protection on every plan, on premium AMD hardware with NVMe storage in Canada.

Start a Valheim server on BruceNode and use code BRUCE20 for 20% off your first month. Your group can be in the Deep North tonight.

Valheim 1.0 server FAQ

Do old Valheim worlds work in 1.0?

Yes. Old saves load and receive the new content, but the new biome only generates properly in unexplored areas. The world converts to the 1.0 save format the first time it loads.

Where is the Deep North in Valheim?

At the far north of the map. On an older world you may need to sail past everything you have explored to reach freshly generated Deep North land.

Do Valheim mods work after the 1.0 update?

Not guaranteed. There is no official mod support, so each mod needs its author to update it. Boot clean first, then add mods back one at a time.

How many players can join a Valheim 1.0 server?

Up to 10. Iron Gate describe 1.0 as a game for 1 to 10 players, on any mix of platforms.

Can PS5 and Switch 2 players join a Valheim dedicated server?

Yes, when the server runs with crossplay on. They join with its join code, and crossplay is on by default on every BruceNode Valheim server, so the whole crew can play together from day one.