Joel Bylos speaks about the new playfields 'Ymir's Pass' and 'The Amphitheater of Karutionia'. 

1. Why did you choose Ymir's Pass to be the first major gameplay content update?

Well it was a combination of things. Firstly, the launch product had content issues that needed to be addressed. We saw that many players felt the game's content got narrower once you passed level fifty. Ymir's Pass fits nicely into that niche and allows players to advance their characters through content, rather than grinding. Secondly, the groundwork for the playfield had been laid before launch. There was a wealth of resources already in place for us to draw upon as we designed.

2. What did you learn from the development of Age of Conan Gold and how was that useful when creating Ymir's Pass?

Ha! What didn't we learn? There was a lot to draw upon, both from our own data and player feedback. We learned what worked. The difference between a game in production and a live product is that when you have a live product you can really see what people like and dislike. In production it tends to be more of a risk assuming that you know what people will enjoy. Some more specific examples would be:

More playfield events (earthquakes and Atali) are some examples.
More interesting boss fights (I'm looking forward to hearing how people tackle the Devourer and the Dimensionalist!)
More interaction with the world (Players get to re-grow trees and splash the blood of their enemies on a doorstep)

3. What can players expect when they first enter Ymir's Pass?

An earthquake! No seriously, we wanted to get a unique hook into this area. Ymir's Pass will hopefully grab players right from the start and not let them go until the story is told. Of course, keeping a narrative flowing in such a free form environment and ensuring that players don't feel pushed is a great challenge. The earthquake mechanic is a gentle reminder to our players that there are great events going on and they can take part.

4. Tell us a little bit about the story of this area and what role the players will have.