Masters of Albion’s New Beginnings update rebuilds Peter Molyneux’s god game

Masters of Albion has undergone its biggest overhaul since entering Early Access, with developer 22cans rebuilding several of the systems that defined Peter Molyneux’s latest god game.

The New Beginnings update arrived on October 1 after roughly six months of development. It targets complaints about performance, repetitive nighttime battles, shallow progression and limited interaction with the world, while more recent patches have continued refining the redesigned systems.

One of the biggest changes is a complete overhaul of the game’s rendering technology. 22cans says every in-game asset had to be rebuilt or converted as part of the process, with internal testing showing frame rates up to twice as high depending on hardware and settings.

The update also replaces the original opening with an expanded prologue around Oakridge. Players now learn more about the Chosen One before gaining god-like powers, giving the campaign a more substantial introduction before its management systems open up.

Existing version 1.4 saves are not compatible with New Beginnings because of how extensively progression has changed. Players need a new save for version 2.0, although 22cans temporarily preserved the older build through a separate Steam branch.

Nighttime battles have been rebuilt around defined objectives instead of repeatedly defending against similar attacks. Missions can involve killing a set number of enemies, surviving for a specific period or escorting worshippers to safety.

Performance during those battles earns commendations that can immediately be spent on permanent Reward Cards. These unlock Hand upgrades, buildings, decorations, paints and other bonuses, giving nighttime combat a clearer connection to long-term progression.

The redesigned Arcadium collects those cards and introduces deck-building elements. Cards can carry good, neutral or evil alignments, meaning a player’s chosen upgrades can also influence their overall alignment and even the appearance of their God Hand.

22cans has substantially expanded the God Hand’s physical interaction with the world. Grass, crops, trees and water now react as it passes through them, while players can pull up trees, throw objects and poke or flick characters and animals.

A new corruption system also gives nighttime failures a visible consequence. The Orken Stone spreads corruption across Albion each night, forcing players to respond as parts of the landscape become increasingly affected.

Orders have similarly been redesigned around individual characters and short storylines rather than randomly generated requests. The updated Design Table now displays production costs, profits, requirements and alignment consequences before players commit to a product.

New Beginnings has already been followed by Updates 2.1 and 2.2. The latest patch, released October 19, improves controller navigation, adds more food orders and fixes problems involving nighttime combat, turrets, progression and Hand abilities.

22cans says more frequent updates are planned between now and the full release, although it has not provided a schedule. Masters of Albion remains in Steam Early Access, meaning the New Beginnings overhaul is intended as a new foundation rather than the finished version of what Molyneux has described as his final game.