Since our EA wrap-up announcement, many Chieftains have been blowing up our Discord DMs with the same question:

Here it is! We’ve handpicked the most exciting updates to share. Trust me, Soulmask 1.0 will redefine the game, presenting you with an all-new rainforest to explore.

For the EA version of Soulmask, providing a better guidance mechanism for Chieftains has always been one of the issues we most wanted to improve. And now in 1.0, I think we can talk about this with you.

All the materials and content you want to find might be answered in the mask's \[Knowledge Base]: We have essentially moved the game encyclopedia of Soulmask into the game. Any material you might need, its use, crafting method, and even acquisition source (see the button on the top right? Click it to find what you want on the map), we have put it all here.

This revamped Mask ensures your first steps into the game are smooth and intuitive — but still, be careful of more than 3 Bush Dogs...

For our seasoned Chieftains, we have something even more thrilling: a look at the Mask’s new ultimate forms. Check this out.

The Mimicry System already grants potent Active Skills for survival, but as an avatar of the gods, we felt the Mask could do even more on the battlefield.

So in 1.0, we added the "Mimicry Ascension" feature — your mask's mimicry skills will go a step further on the original basis: they will recreate the mighty power of the "gods" of the ancient civilization. This allows you to gain power sufficient to instantly change the situation in different combat scenarios.

【Abundance】 now summons a spectral avatar to rain down volleys of arrows from above.

【Torch of Eternity】 creates a massive sanctum that shields allies while searing your enemies.

【Shadow Walker】 can give you camouflage and the ability to teleport through for lethal backstab execution.

【Tactical Guidance】 possesses the ultimate power: bringing fallen companions back from the brink of death.

Every Mask upgrade will completely change how you play, giving you the power to flip the script on any battle.

*Note: For balanced play, Mimicry Tier-ups are currently disabled in PVP Mode.

With awareness transfer, your diverse tribesmen are the heart of Soulmask. We know finding the "Perfect Tribesman" has been your ultimate goal since day one.

And in 1.0, you can finally perfect your lineup. The new 【Training Ground】 allows tribesmen to pass down elite talents, letting you breed a legendary clan warrior step by step through your training plans. By initiating quality assessment, you can even reveal their current and unlockable talents.

Beyond raw strength, we’ve improved work management in 1.0. The new 【Tribesman Assignments】 system ensures no one ever stands around idly. You can now assign tribesmen specific roles. If their primary crafting table is quiet, they’ll automatically seek out other useful duties—and yes, it works perfectly with Autoplay!

Your Clan will now operate at peak efficiency. You’ll rarely catch anyone slacking by the fire anymore (tough luck for them).

Besides tribesmen, we also clearly know that tribe management is the soul of Soulmask. In the \[Management Mode] of 1.0, Chieftains will be able to see the final solution we have created for you:

Welcome to the "Tribe Management System". In this system, Chieftains will be able to grasp every move of the tribesmen and the tribe macroscopically:

Take full control of your tribe's logistics—monitor resources, check crafting table efficiency, and manage tribesman works from a centralized command center.

Many of you play Soulmask as a management sim—and we love that! The Tribe Management System lets you keep your tribe running like a well-oiled machine.

Since Early Access, our goal has been to offer every Chieftain a tailored survival experience.

With 1.0, we introduce three new modes—each a unique way to experience Soulmask, ensuring no two journeys are ever the same and significantly boost the replayability, offering a different Soulmask experience for every type of Chieftain.

Survival Mode:

This is our Classic Mode—the gritty, uncompromising survival experience you’ve known since EA. If you love classic open-world survival, the authentic wilderness awaits.

We’ve rebalanced the math and smoothed out the mid-to-late game progression, so the hardcore joy of survival remains intact.

Tribe Mode:

Our top recommendation for 1.0. This mode centers on tribesman management, automation, and grow your tribe, building your civilization from the ground up. If you love running a primitive factory or leading an army to conquer outposts, choose this:

• Tribe Upgrade System: Complete gathering and combat quests to evolve your tribe’s technology and earn massive passive bonuses.

  

• Unique Tech Tree: Tech costs are slashed in this mode, replaced by a progression system tied directly to your Tribe Level.

• Random Merchant Events: Not all barbarians are hostile. Find roaming merchants in the wild to trade gold you looted from ruins or barracks for rare resources.

• Reputation System: Your actions affect fame. Reputation accelerates Tribe growth and unlocks exclusive merchant goods.

  

• More Aggressive Invasions: As your tribe prospers, expect larger barbarian invasions. Build 【Invasion Totems】 to summon the strongest challengers and prove your tribe’s dominance.

Warrior Mode:

Many Chieftains are thirsty for combat since EA. This mode is custom-built for high-intensity combat and speedrunning! You don't need to worry about traditional survival elements; just grab your weapons and fight.

*That’s exactly why we’ve added a dedicated Playtime Tracker for this mode lol.

• Disabled: Near-death state, building decay, invasions, and inventory drops on death. (Normally, decaying deducts durability per hour unless you light a bonfire).

• Start with a "blank" character (Common quality, no talents), but receive a full starter kit of gear.

• More enemies, more creatures, and more elites.

• Smarter AI. Even the starting zones are now roaming with deadly enemies.

• Hardcore Combat. Stamina and Resilience management are critical. Dodge i-frames have been significantly nerfed.

• Accelerated Awareness leveling and a streamlined, low-cost Tech Tree for fast progression.

• Minimal hunger and fuel consumption. Gear will not break or lose durability.

• Dynamic Gear Stats. Advanced gear has no extra damage reduction against low weapons.

• Craft efficiency improved: From recruitment and farming to overall production and resource multipliers.

• Increased frequency of world events.

• Boss encounters, and exclusive challenge-based constructions.

• Late-game Perk: Tame wild beasts and bring them into battle as powerful combat companions.

• Weapon Mastery has been overhauled to better suit fast-paced, high-stakes combat.

Of course, every mode is still highly customizable to suit your preferences. Before 1.0 drops, take some time to consider which playstyle fits you best!

Truth be told, there are far too many changes to list them all here. For instance:

• Tribesman Explorations: Dispatch your tribesmen to beast-infested checkpoints to bring back massive hauls of rare resources.

• In Tribe Mode, if you defend against invasions successfully many times, talented tribesmen will join you.

• More custom options: Fine-tune your game with limits on Level, Morale costs, Stamina recovery rates, RESIL/STA-Down parameters, and more.

• Appearance Recording: You can now save a tribesman’s appearance and apply it to others.

• Climbing is smoother!

• Tribesmen and companions are more aggressive and will auto-equip gear from 【Weapon Racks】 to fight back against invaders.

• Companions can now mirror your gathering actions, automatically harvesting right alongside you.

• Building Overhaul: Auto-alignment, free rotation, and collision boxes are all significantly improved.

• Your character will now automatically take their place on the Chief’s Chair when idle.

• ...

Please forgive us for not covering everything in a single post. Beyond the space constraints, we simply don't want to spoil the surprise—we’d rather keep the mystery alive so you can discover the many wonders of Soulmask 1.0 for yourself.

We’ll be releasing an FAQ soon to address your burning questions about 1.0 and the full release. Ask away!

Ever since we announced the release date for 1.0 and Soulmask: Shifting Sands—launching officially on April 10—we’ve been eager to talk about the brand-new world we’ve been building.

Drawing inspiration from the sands of ancient Egypt and the Nile River basin—its culture, its landscapes, its legends—we’ve woven in the distinct Soulmask flavor we love. Our goal is simple: when you’re piloting a flying vessel across Shifting Sands, you should feel a world packed with discovery at every turn. After all—this DLC world is the same size as the base Soulmask world.

At the start, you’ll be transported to the first region of Shifting Sands. Under the effects of an anti-gravity engine, everything here runs opposite to the gravity you’re used to: above your head hangs the continent of Shifting Sands, while inverted skyships glide past you…

Repair the Horus Mask—Celestial Wings—on the platform, and with the wings it grants, you’ll dive down to the surface and begin a brand-new survival journey.

Whether you’re a brand-new Chieftain or an old friend, you can jump straight into the DLC’s new world. And before you set sail with your mobile base—your Barge—into unknown territory, here’s your survival guide to the regions of Shifting Sands.

This is where every player “Falls from the sky” to begin. A colossal abandoned palace overlooks this fertile land—yet the traces of civilization have all but vanished.

We took a hard look at the base game’s slower early pacing and lighter guidance. Here, on an isolated island in the delta bay, you’ll learn Soulmask’s most essential survival basics—and seize your first Barge from the Exiles.

In this lush river-mouth oasis, you’ll find unique wildlife—like sacred ibises and aardvarks—to hunt for early survival materials. Dense shrubland helps you stabilize fast, letting you build your first base or your first waterborne Barge, and begin growing your tribe.

But stay sharp: dangerous crocodiles near the river, roaming hounds, and barbarian drifters patrolling the waters can become your first deadly enemies. The flip side? They can also become loyal troops—or pets. Use your mask’s powers to intimidate barbarians, or capture hound and mule pups to add new guards and workers to your Barge.

Note: Don’t mess with hippos.

Giant floating pyramids. Majestic abandoned temples. White beaches stretching along the sea. The Dune Zone is the first destination after you graduate from the early game.

From here, survival pressure ramps up: resources grow scarcer, and desert heat replaces the delta’s cool breeze. Of course, you can mount sand sleds onto your Barge so your mobile base can move freely across the land—searching farther for what you need.

Or if you prefer something wilder: surf the desert on a shield!

Mines become widespread here, feeding your base a steady supply of ore. More importantly, the relics of the Age of Gods begin to appear: fallen skyship wrecks, mid-sized ancient underground ruins, massive sacred relic sites that unlock mask potential—where the power of the gods still lingers.

Life is still thriving in the dunes. Adorable fennec foxes hide in the shade and might become your newest companions. But venomous scorpions and hyenas will constantly threaten you and your tribesmen—and most crucially, desert bandit factions empowered by ancient technology now occupy dynasty ruins. They’re not here to negotiate.

As you push into the forbidden heart of the great desert, the environment turns brutal. Extreme heat and sudden, lethal sandstorms will constantly threaten everyone aboard your sky vessel—especially in the northern Eye of Sand, a region warped by forces from ancient ruins. Cataclysmic sandstorm tornadoes rage here day and night, sealing away the secrets within…

True to our map design philosophy: the more dangerous the region, the greater the reward. The Death Desert will be one of the key mid-game zones for rare resources—ranging from sulfur pools that yield special materials, to the adorable cats roaming the river-valley oasis in the east (another perfect “ship buddy”). This area will become a major hub as you expand deeper into Shifting Sands.

Which one’s your favorite?

Ah… sulfur.

But the true danger isn’t just barbarians, desert bandits, or predators. Deep within lurks something worse—the legendary beast that once destroyed kingdoms:

The Death Sandstorm.

Whatever you do… don’t wake it up.

Now, let’s turn our gaze beneath the scorching desert. The ancient civilization of the “Sun God” left countless mysterious ruins across this world—sacred and enigmatic, intricate and deadly. And in their depths, the legacy of a mighty lost civilization waits in silence… for someone bold enough to claim it.

In Shifting Sands, god-worshipping ruins are everywhere. The lost dynasties poured their resources into devotion—worshipping the gods who granted them miraculous flying ships. Massive temples spanning hundreds of meters remain imposing even when half-buried by sand.

As a key part of the Soulmask experience, we took Chieftains’ Early Access feedback on Sacred Relics and dungeons seriously. In Shifting Sands, ruin exploration will feel dramatically different.

Exploring ancient-civilization ruins in Shifting Sands will be a fresh experience—deadly, but thrilling: grander subterranean wonders, more varied puzzles, and far more dangerous traps. Whether or not you’ve explored dungeons in the base game, this will feel like a whole new kind of descent.

We also addressed a long-standing pain point: labyrinth complexity. In Shifting Sands (and in 1.0 as well), mask abilities now include a new “Pinpoint Navigation” feature—select the dungeon objective you’re searching for, and the mask’s consciousness will keep guiding you toward it. Loot what you came for… if you can survive the assault on the way.

The road to ancient treasure is never smooth. First, you’ll face desert bandit factions—also empowered by lost-civilization technology. Like raiders who dominate the rainforest, they hoard relics across the world. From crashed Solar Barges to ruin entrances, you’ll have to break through their blockades.

But once you push deeper, you’ll learn why even the bandits won’t approach the inner sanctums—because something far more terrifying is slaughtering anything that dares enter…

Mysterious machines that mercilessly attack all intruders. In Shifting Sands, the “gods” have granted them terrifying capabilities, pushing you into a completely different kind of deadly fight.

From anti-gravity systems derived from Solar Barge technology to lethal particle beams.

From heavy industrial machines… to agile scouts.

Rumor has it that somewhere in the deepest layer of a Sacred Relic lies the mask’s Highest Authority—a permission level that allows you, like the Old gods, to seize control of certain machines and bend them into service…

At the heart of every ruin, the most powerful machine core guards the most important legacy. We poured every “what if” idea we had about fighting mechanical creatures into these designs. Trust us—their ancient tech will feel unlike anything you’ve faced in Soulmask… assuming you live long enough.

You finally defeat a machine core, the most valuable lost-civilization spoils become yours: ultra-rare materials, a placeable mini portal, and even the mask’s most critical enhancement component—Redstone. And ruins like these are everywhere across Shifting Sands, waiting for you to uncover them one by one.

Beyond the rewards, you’ll also find carriers of ancient information deep inside—records of collapsed desert dynasties, wars of the gods, and legends of the Sun God who created it all.

Why did these once-glorious civilizations fall? What is the connection between “gods” and masks? In Shifting Sands, the story and worldview will still be delivered in fragmented form—gather scattered traces across the world, piece them together, and build your version of what truly happened in this desert.

This is only Dev Log #1, and we’ve already spent a lot of time on just the first slice of Shifting Sands—but we truly believe this world deserves it.

More developer logs are coming soon—from masks to skyships, to guardians who wield the power of the gods. We’ll break down every detail and design intention behind the Shifting Sands DLC, so you can be ready before you set foot in the desert.

I’m Maggie, your community manager—see you next week with more news!