[img]//assets.albiononline.com/uploads/media/default/media/72140ef436e0121f99bda78720a02f3b99f8c9ce.jpeg[/img] 2022 was a big year in the world of Albion, with major content updates, a huge five-year milestone, and an ever-growing worldwide community of players. Join us for a look back at some of the major highlights… [h3]Albion Awakened[/h3] 2022 began by building on the solid foundation laid by the [url=https://albiononline.com/update/lands-awakened][b]Lands Awakened update[/b][/url] in late 2021. The [b]Conqueror's Challenge[/b], newly introduced with Lands Awakened, was streamlined over the ensuing Guild Seasons in early 2022 to offer guilds of all sizes a huge number of ways to earn Might and Favor and unlock spectacular rewards, while making Might Levels easier to reach. [img]//assets.albiononline.com/uploads/media/default/media/1f30afea69f343eb7dd094fb22faba5b6f4398a8.jpeg[/img] Rewards for the Crystal League were also increased, and an updated map was introduced to make this core 5v5 content more dynamic and unpredictable. [h3]Controller Support, Awards and Events[/h3] In March 2022, Albion Online became playable with controllers and on the newly launched [b]Steam Deck[/b], opening the game up to a whole new audience and playstyle. [img]//assets.albiononline.com/uploads/media/default/media/2cc5438b6ff74d312016b3c7be89ea7baaf4c9ea.jpeg[/img] Then in April, Albion Online received the [b]German Computer Games Prize[/b] for [b]Best Mobile Game[/b]. This rounded out a season that saw Albion honored by a growing list of achievements: [list] [*][b]Deutscher Entwicklerpreis: Best Mobile Game[/b][/*] [*][b]MassivelyOP Year-End Awards: Best PvP[/b][/*] [*][b]GamingonPhone Game Awards: Best Mobile Port[/b][/*] [*][b]Deutscher Computerspielpreis: Best Mobile Game[/b][/*][/list]Spring also brought a massively expanded [b]Rites of Spring[/b] event that introduced a new mount, the [b]Spring Cottontail[/b] rabbit, which was growable from rare eggs that spawned throughout the world. [previewyoutube=c2F0CrLMd3k;full][/previewyoutube] [h3]Into the Fray[/h3] In June, the [url=https://albiononline.com/update/into-the-fray][b]Into the Fray[/b][/url] update went live, improving and expanding numerous game systems and introducing fully reworked [b]Magic Staffs[/b]. The update also brought new [b]Portal Towns[/b], improved Castles, the non-lethal Crystal League, Victory Emotes, and numerous other features and much more. [img]//assets.albiononline.com/uploads/media/default/media/232d592b4a8baf3962038b41f82ba2143aaf5429.jpeg[/img] Further improvements to Magic Staffs came with the "Arcane and Frost" Patch several months later, and additional patches later in the year brought features like a new [b]Guild Finder[/b] and support for [b]Japanese and Italian[/b]. [h3]Albion Celebrates Five Years[/h3] In July, Albion Online celebrated a huge milestone: the [b]fifth anniversary[/b] of its launch in 2017. The celebrations kicked off with a major in-game event, [b]Living Legacy[/b], which saw statues of Albion's past season winners come to life and roam the open world. [previewyoutube=pwTNtdvemgs;full][/previewyoutube] The festivities continued with a special [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlCnHz4g0B4][b]Anniversary Stream[/b][/url] where Albion's developers discussed creating the game, offered rare insights into early development builds, and gave a sneak peek at what the coming months and years might bring to the world of Albion. [h3]Beyond the Veil[/h3] In the fall, Albion's next major update, [b]Beyond the Veil[/b], went live. This update brought mysterious and magical new realms to the game, foremost among them the [b]Mists[/b], a new land of danger and opportunity. The update also introduced the lost city of [b]Brecilien[/b], a whole new [b]Fey Armor[/b] line, Pristine Resources, and numerous other features and improvements. [previewyoutube=rZqlngveFyo;full][/previewyoutube] [h3]Year-End Honors[/h3] Last but not least, 2022 was rounded out by another honor: the game received the [b]MassivelyOP "Best PvP" Award[/b] for the second year in a row! It also appeared on several best-of lists in 2022, including [b]Rock Paper Shotgun[/b]'s "30 Best Steam Deck Games" and [b]MMORPG.GG[/b]'s "18 Best Isometric MMOs". [img]//assets.albiononline.com/uploads/media/default/media/4bfb4ddd4b9357ac491bf797ed4804cbaff0d1f8.jpeg[/img] [h3]Looking Forward to 2023[/h3] In early 2023 we'll continue improving on the updated Mists and Roads introduced with Beyond the Veil. Alongside that, we'll be working on new features and improvements to the game throughout the year, so stay tuned for announcements. For now, we want to extend our thanks to you, the Albion community, for making everything we do possible. Happy New Year!