Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord adds beta test branch and outlines update schedule

Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord has gotten a slew of hotfixes and updates for urgent issues in the weeks since it launched, and developers TaleWorlds have now outlined their future plans for the game’s updates alongside the release of a beta 1.1 patch fixing some much-requested community issues. There’s now a branch on Steam for public testing of the game’s new versions, which TaleWorlds plans to beta test for a week and release with fixes the next week. There’s also an alpha update branch planned with content that hasn’t gone through TaleWorlds’ internal testing, though that branch is currently unreleased.

To access the beta branch, right-click Bannerlord in your library and go to Properties. Then click the Betas tab and choose “e 1.1.0 - Beta” from the drop down menu. It should then automatically download the update.

The current beta update tweaks XP gain, making sure that both players and their companions are leveling up more regularly—specifically at higher skill levels.  Player troops now upgrade more quickly and easily, though they no longer get increased experience during auto-resolved battles. Additionally, a variety of specific troops have received equipment and skill updates—especially the much-maligned Sturgian troops. There were also a variety of economic and item fixes, including one that will hopefully fix the exorbitant pricing of ranged weapons.

For more of PC Gamer’s coverage of Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord, check out this big tag page riddled with guides and news and headshots and dismemberment mods. If you’re unfamiliar with the medieval melee-and-politics RPG, here’s the lowdown on what the game is and some tips to get you started. We’ve also got a guide to combat, a guide to the factions, and a guide to marriage and family life.

Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord is developed by Turkey-based studio TaleWorlds and is in Early Access on Steam.