During its latest Town Hall session, the team behind Illuvium shared fresh insights into the development of its upcoming open-world MMO. The presentation, accompanied by new gameplay and UI footage, offered a closer look at how the project is evolving within the ambitious “creature capture MMO ARPG” niche.
Refining Combat and Movement
The developers reported significant progress on combat, particularly in improving ranged mechanics through homing capabilities designed to make encounters smoother and more reactive. Melee and ranged actions are being tuned to balance pacing and accessibility, aiming to make the system feel rewarding without sacrificing depth.
Movement, too, is undergoing iteration. The pace of traversal has been deliberately slowed to emphasize progression and a sense of discovery. New transportation options—such as mounts and hoverboards—will be introduced as unlockable rewards, giving players more varied ways to explore the environment over time.
We keep calling them leaks…
— Illuvium (@illuviumio) October 12, 2025
but this feels like a reveal. ⚔️
Combat’s cleaner. The world’s alive. And the MMO dream? Getting closer. 🌌
👉 How close do you think we are? pic.twitter.com/WHKqEIXvvr
Expanding the Item and Progression Systems
The item system has been extended to include a broader range of stats and variability, enhancing loot diversity and encouraging experimentation. Players will be able to invest in-game resources to upgrade and “level up” equipment, feeding into a familiar ARPG progression loop reminiscent of titles like Path of Exile.
Monsters will drop increasingly powerful items as players advance, creating a natural incentive to engage with higher-tier enemies and crafting mechanics that reward consistent play.
Story, Quests, and Tutorial Overhaul
Narrative content is becoming more integrated, with the addition of lore-driven quests and cinematic storytelling. Players will pursue a mysterious female creature across the planet, eventually progressing beyond its borders toward Illuvium itself. Voice acting and cutscenes are being added to strengthen the storytelling experience.
The tutorial has also been rebuilt to introduce players to the world and its combat more effectively, blending onboarding with narrative immersion from the start.
Companions, Drone Mechanics, and Skill Trees
Illuvial companions—the collectible creatures central to the game—are receiving new active abilities to make battles more dynamic. Additionally, the in-game drone now functions as a key support element, providing temporary buffs to health and strength through craftable consumables. Players will need to manage and replenish these effects, adding a layer of resource strategy.
A new node-based skill tree was also unveiled. Players will select one of five classes, each tied to specific ability and buff nodes. While class switching will eventually be possible, the system encourages distinct playstyles and progression paths. Progression points can be allocated to unlock or enhance active and passive abilities through an affinity-based structure.
Looking Ahead
The newly released gameplay footage showcases several of these systems in action, offering a glimpse at Illuvium’s evolving combat flow and visual polish. While no firm release date has been announced, the team’s focus appears firmly set on deepening gameplay variety and narrative engagement within the MMO framework.
Links:
Illuvium: https://illuvium.io/