"Wake of the Water": the big "Enshrouded" water update in preview

Philipp Rüegg

10.11.2025

Translation: machine translated

Pictures: Philipp Rüegg

The biggest update for "Enshrouded" to date brings a new biome, a new faction and above all: dynamic water. I've already had a look at "Wake of Water".

What, there's no water in «Enshrouded»? In the more than 30 hours that I played the game at its launch in January 2024, I never realised that the survival game was completely treading water. Over the past two years, German studio Keen Games has been busy expanding the surprise hit. However, rivers and lakes are still missing. This is set to change in November with the update «Wake of Water».

Blub, blub, blub

There are technical reasons why it has taken so long for the now four million players to be able to literally immerse themselves in «Enshrouded». «At the beginning, we didn't know whether we would be able to get it technically», lead designer Thorsten Röpke explains to me at a hands-off demo via Zoom. The team originally wanted to use mock-ups for future rivers and lakes. You would have been able to look at them, but not change them or even swim in them. «In a game that's like 'Minecraft', where you can interact with everything, that feels wrong.» So they decided to remove water completely. With update number seven and the new biome called Veilwater Basin (German name not yet known), the cool water finally flows through the world of Embervale. With an emphasis on flowing.

The water in «Enshrouded» is dynamic. Thorsten shows me how it flows channelled by a small waterfall through its impressive base. There it drives a mill wheel, which in turn supplies energy for new machines. These include a coffee grinder and a cocoa station. I can finally label these with signs. Another feature eagerly requested by the Community. The fonts are still placeholders in the demo, but this finally gives the base a better overview.

Let the creativity flow

I can also collect water in a large wooden rain barrel and water the garden with a watering can. I find the physical properties of the new element much more exciting. The water in «Enshrouded» has a gradient and can seep away. If I build a channel from a low-lying lake into my base, nothing happens. Conversely, I can flood my base if I'm not careful. Drains help against this. Fortunately, I don't have to worry about the drainage system.

Water is also not infinite. This means that I can not only lower the water level in lakes, I can dry it out completely. «Unfortunately, we can't say what happens to the fish in the process», explains Thorsten in response to my enquiry. We are still fine-tuning the system. If the lake is outside your own base, it will be full again when you log in again. There is no evaporation mechanism. That would probably be a bit too much simulation.

The implementation of water was also a challenge. «What happens if the base is under water? Do monsters that fall into the water die? We had to ask ourselves a lot of questions», says Thorsten. The possibilities are many and varied. I can even build an underwater base. But there are no boats yet.

What no survival game should be without is a fishing mini-game. The new equipment includes not just a fishing rod, but a whole set of diving gear. With fins and a diving helmet, I can dive into the turquoise-blue water and search for sunken temples.

A brave new world

The new, tropical-themed area is the perfect complement to the previous world. Unlike «Valheim» and co., it is not procedurally generated, but handmade. In addition to the launch areas «Low Meadows», «Bleak Thicket», «Blackmoor», «Nomadic Highlands» and « Wastelands», the «Albapracht Peaks» have been added. Lush coconut palms, date plants and lots of bamboo grow in Veilwater Basin. This not only looks pretty, but also serves as a new building material for even more variation in base construction. All that's missing is a colourful drink, a little umbrella and my next holiday is booked.

The Drak are a new race to go with the new area. These lizard creatures can swim and dive. So I'm not safe from them in the water. I like their design with their imposing horns and colourful jewellery. Thorsten uses a particularly large subject to show what new tricks they have in store. The dino-like monster not only swings a club the size of a tree trunk, but also makes thorns grow out of the ground. Because Thorsten sets too low a level for the lizard, the show fight is decided after just two blows with his broadsword. The large two-handed swords are also part of the new features in update seven. They deal a lot of damage, but are very slow.

«Wake of the Water» promises a breath of fresh air for «Enshrouded» with a new region, faction, weapons, building options and, of course, water. One of the most extensive survival games is thus getting even bigger. Nevertheless, I will probably hold back a little until I dive back into Embervale. Keen Games is finally aiming for version 1.0 next year. Thorsten can't say when it will be released, but definitely not when: «Ideally not on the same day as GTA 6». I'm sure many fans would be very grateful.

Header image: Keen Games

Philipp Rüegg

Senior Editor

Philipp.Rueegg@digitecgalaxus.ch

As a child, I wasn't allowed to have any consoles. It was only with the arrival of the family's 486 PC that the magical world of gaming opened up to me. Today, I'm overcompensating accordingly. Only a lack of time and money prevents me from trying out every game there is and decorating my shelf with rare retro consoles. more

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