Look, let's be honest: on June 10, Game of Thrones: Kingsroad decided it was time to shake things up. The update introduces the new 'Stormlands' region and finally unlocks the first-ever raid, 'Altar of the Abyss: Kraken of the Iron Islands Shore'.

The developers have bumped the world difficulty cap to level 4 and pushed the character level ceiling to 50. Naturally, this means your gear tiers and estate levels have room to grow as well. Keep in mind, you will need to reach character level 39 and upgrade your forge to level 4 if you want to craft that shiny new Tier 4 gear.

The 'Stormlands' region is packed with the usual suspects—main and side quests, plus plenty of field activities. They’ve also tossed in a new 'Raid Defense' mode for those who enjoy a bit of teamwork. It’s a timed event that pops up in specific areas, requiring a two-player party to take on.

As for the Altar of the Abyss raid, it finally opens its gates once you hit world difficulty level 4. You’ll need 120,000 Spirit to get in. It’s a four-player affair, and the loot includes materials for crafting and honing 'Amulets'. These trinkets provide fixed bonuses and extra effects via honing, which should keep you busy optimising your build.

The combat, which many have praised, has received a bit more polish. A new 'Perfect Guard' system is now active for certain attacks in modes like the Altar of Memories. Much like parrying, timing is everything; nail it, and you’ll enjoy stamina recovery, a damage boost, and reduced cooldowns. The 'Gambler' gear set has also been updated to sync with these Perfect Guard mechanics.

The team has also ticked off several community requests, including a bulk disposal feature for junk in your inventory and a new integrated monthly subscription discount. They have also added a new world boss, 'Black Shadow Drogon', and a fresh Altar of Memories encounter, 'Cockatrices of the Dorne Coast'. For the full, nitty-gritty details, check out the Game of Thrones: Kingsroad official website.