Conan Exiles set itself apart from other installments of the open world survival genre in a couple of ways. The first was the setting which, by placing players in an arid, inhospitable (yet undeniably beautiful) desert, provided a distinctly unique backdrop for the otherwise signature-stale gameplay characteristic to survival games. The second came in the form of customizable, flapping genitalia.
No, I'm not actually kidding; much of Conan Exile's popularity came from the sheer amount ofe Twitch and YouTube celebrities who, upon learning of the game's NSFW character options, quickly exploited the functionality to appeal to their audience's impish humor. News of the game spread, and it wasn't long at all before Conan Exiles was one of the top-played games on Steam.
While the game eventually dropped from that position, the developers at Funcom never rescinded their support. The studio recently announced an expansion for Conan Exiles, simply titled "Frozen North."
If you couldn't already tell, the main theme of the expansion will be that of a frigid, hostile northern region in which players will have to grapple not only with new potential enemies, but also the environment itself. A new temperature mechanic will force players to don heavy clothing and maintain a healthy supply of firewood in order to survive, lest they become another explorer's loot-worthy discovery.
The threat of becoming a popsicle isn't the only problem players will have to deal with in the Frozen North, either. As previously mentioned, new enemies will contend with any would-be settlers seeking to uncover the icy wastes' secrets; players will find themselves behest by mammoths, frost giants, wolves, and, as always, each other as they travel through the snow-covered land.
Savage beasts of the Frozen North. Via YouTube.
The Frozen North isn't just bundled with loads of new ways to die, however. Some of the additional content includes a couple of new crafting systems, new minerals, plants, and other gatherable resources, a multi-level dungeon containing a formidable Death Knight, and over 300 new items.
There's also been a couple of updates to the character creation menu as well. Players can now adorn their exile with a variety of customizable facial hair options to add that extra layer of manliness - or flamboyance, depending on preference. After that, the player can select a new god for their character to worship; Ymir, the "Frost Father," who is depicted near the end of the trailer as a terrifying, blue-toned titan.
Ymir shatters a player's shelter. Via YouTube.
The Frozen North is set to release on August 16. Conan Exiles itself is available for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC for $29.99.
For future updates about the game, follow the developers over their official Twitter account, or visit the Conan Exiles website to find additional news, community forums, and a variety of media releases.
