Cozy MMO Palia is getting its biggest expansion yet, featuring the new Elderwood adventure zone, which might look familiar to World of Warcraft fans.
Palia has received a steady stream of updates since it launched in open beta in 2023, but there's one major update fans have been waiting months for and it's finally here: the Elderwood expansion.
This huge new zone will also arrive alongside Palia's long-awaited console launch on Xbox Series X/S and PS5, slated to drop on May 13.
A trailer released last week shows off the sprawling Elderwood zone, full of new animals, new resources, and a new furniture set. The map is enormous compared to Palia's existing zones and will likely add dozens of hours of gameplay.
It also looks rather familiar—the gigantic trees and purple flora immediately reminded me of Teldrassil, home of the night elves in World of Warcraft. Palia's spin on this is a bit calmer and more whimsical (and intentionally free of combat encounters). Personally, I've always loved Teldrassil, so I'm happy to see Palia adding a zone with a similar look.
The Elderwood will hopefully be a breath of fresh air for Palia players who have already blazed through the current main story quests in Kilima and Bahari Bay.
While the trailer is short and mostly cinematic, it does give us a few hints about what to expect from the Elderwood expansion.
For example, the trailer only shows players using Exquisite-level tools which could mean you'll need to fully upgrade your tools to gather certain resources in the Elderwood. Don't worry if you're a new player, though: All players will have access to the Elderwood, regardless of where you are in the main story questline.
We also know we'll be getting a new set of furniture and plants for decorating, including the Bouncy Shroom mushrooms Singularity6 gave current players as a gift recently (turns out that was a sneak peek at the Elderwood expansion). The snapshot of some of the new furniture in the trailer looks like a more woodsy take on the Moonstruck set, with curves and hues reminiscent of the giant purple fungi in the Elderwood.
Hopefully this expansion also includes a storage expansion, which many players have been asking for. I for one know my chests will all be full by the time I'm done stocking up on supplies to make that new furniture.
Of course, the Elderwood will also be the next step in Palia's main story, and it sounds like Subira the Watcher will play an important role in this new chapter. Her arrival is a central part of the current main questline, so if you haven't met her yet, you'll want to make as much progress with your quests as you can before May.
It looks like there will be a new Ancient Vault, as well. Palia's original four vaults were connected by the Night Sky Temple mural, which had a "bundle" of rare items players had to collect to earn rewards tied to each vault. Singularity6 could add a new station to that mural, but I'd personally prefer for the Elderwood to have its own mural instead.
We know the Elderwood will be home to some exciting new items called artifacts, which players will use to unlock relics, new equipment that grants individual and party buffs. The artifacts look like they'll be collectable themselves, including a painting, a statue, and a decorative clothing set.
With the Elderwood expansion arriving in just a few weeks, now is the perfect time to try Palia on PC or Switch if you haven't already. All of the core content is free-to-play, the atmosphere is light-hearted and relaxing, and the lore and romanceable NPCs are charming and engaging.
It's a nice break from more intense MMOs since there isn't any combat or competition, but plenty of opportunities for collaboration with other players, like cooking parties or chopping down rare flow tree groves.
The Elderwood will be a free expansion available on PC, Nintendo Switch, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S on May 13.
