News/2011

Recent forays beneath the surface of Haven have turned up numerous dens that are home to a family of creatures we have designated "Wolvers". They are extremely agile and ferocious, and appear to travel in packs led by a stronger, more dangerous beast known as an "Alpha Wolver". Any knights who are adventuring underground are strongly advised to read up on these dangerous foes and, if confronted by one on a mission, to shoot first and worry about reading the wiki later!

Large deposits of mysterious minerals have recently been spotted throughout the Clockworks! Spiral HQ has begun utilizing these exceptional elements to construct new subterranean gates for knights to explore in Haven's Arcade, and you can help! Any knight who happens across a supply of these minerals is asked to collect them and immediately transport them to the Arcade. In the meantime, we suggest you read more on what we know about these minerals and how we've been using them to construct gates so that you're fully prepared!

Remember, knights: all rescue pods are stocked with a standard-issue Proto Sword, Proto Gun, Proto Shield and full set of Spiral Armor in case of a crash-landing in hostile territory. Familiarizing yourself with these and other weapons and armor will be key to your survival on this new world! Other weapons of particular interest to new arrivals include the Punch Gun, which has been adapted from a tool used to blast open pod doors, and the Slime Slasher, which is a heavily-modified entrenching tool suitable for combat use against slimes. The wiki has more info on the full range of arms and armor for those of you who are particularly thorough knights!

One of the major challenges Spiral HQ has faced after the crash is the question of trade for basic supplies with this new world's inhabitants. Thankfully, this question was answered for us very early on, as many of you have proven quite adept at acquiring Crowns, the local currency! It won't be long until you're all swimming in "shinies" yourselves, so today we're going to help make certain that you can tell a 1-Crown piece from a 50-Crown piece, lest you end up risking life and limb in the Clockworks over a sum too small to buy anything from a vending machine!

We at Spiral HQ are pleased to invite everyone to join us in Spiral Knights for the first ever Power Surge Weekend! From 4 PM PDT today, Friday, March 18th until 5 PM PDT Sunday, March 20th, a variety of exciting events will be happening in the brave new world of Spiral Knights, including reduced elevator costs and hourly lotteries!

Don't miss out on the fun this weekend: ready your sword and join your fellow knights in the Clockworks! For full details, check out the forums!

This weekend, from Friday, March 25 at 4pm PDT to Sunday, March 27 at 9pm PDT we will be hosting our Preview Event Grand Finale!

During the specified times there will be 2 energy elevators and frequent lottery prizes given out, plus other special events. Log in this weekend for one last adventure before our official launch on April 4th!

As a special thanks to all our Preview Event players we will be opening the game on April 1st at 2pm PDT to any player that participated in the Preview Event. Early Access players will have the entire weekend to get a head start on everyone else before our official launch on April 4th. Early Access players will also find that their knight names from the Preview Event have been reserved for them. Reserved names must be claimed by April 11th.

Be sure to also check your Arsenal for a special set of Preview Event items. Every knight created on a Preview Event account will receive these items.

After nearly four years of development, Spiral Knights has officially launched today. This is a huge moment for me, the Spiral Knights team and all of Three Rings and I am so happy to be able to share it with them. I consider myself privileged to be among the ranks of the very talented Spiral Knights team. Creating this game was a really fun and rewarding experience. I think everybody involved learned a great deal as we are a very small team, so wearing lots of hats was a requirement.

Tread with caution when you enter the slime-covered halls of the Royal Jelly Palace. Recon Knights have gathered that this ancient, open-air castle has been overtaken by a legion of slimes, the most fearsome of which is a 'Royal Jelly.' Like any unruly king, it has a short fuse and loves to throw its weight around. We cannot be certain under what lineage or authority this oozing aristocrat claims noble descent, but we would still caution those traveling in its palace to stay vigilant and come prepared with Poison vials and weapons, in addition to a full complement of knights!

The first Arsenal Expansion is now available! Spiral HQ has uncovered schematics of a wide array of new sword recipes, including the new Piercing damage line of Flourish swords, and complete lines of the Iceburst Brandish, Fireburst Brandish and Nightblade! All this and more are now available to your ever-expanding arsenal. Gear up today!

From now until May 6th at 3PM PDT, knights who purchase at least $9.95 worth of Crystal Energy will receive a free piece of the Rose Regalia! These brand new costume items are well-suited to combining with the Flourish line of Piercing swords. There are six pieces in all: three chapeaus and three tabards. Collect the whole set today!

The response to the Rose Regalia Energy Bonus has been fantastic so far, and so we've decided to extend it for one more weekend! Until Monday, May 9th at 3 PM PDT, purchase at least $9.95 worth of Crystal Energy and receive a free piece of the Rose Regalia costume set. There are three chapeaus and three tabards in all, so this is your last chance to collect all six! Thank you to everyone who's participated in the Bonus so far. Have a great weekend in the Clockworks!

The Strangers have been hard at work making Haven a more welcoming place for the recent influx of knights, and so several new amenities are now available in the Town Square: an Auction House, and an Advanced Training Hall! The Auction House is a new and efficient way for knights to buy and sell materials, recipes and other items, while the Advanced Training Hall can be used to brush up on important adventuring skills, or to test out new weapons. Go take a look at them in the Haven Town Square today!

Got a new sword that you want to level up fast? Looking for a little boost? The Heat Amplifier is now available from the Upgrade Merchant, which grants users an additional 20% heat collected in the Clockworks for 48 hours! Maximize your adventure by purchasing a Heat Amplifier today!

The Clockworks have just revealed a new, perilous boss stratum for Tier 1 Knights to challenge, The Gloaming Wildwoods. However, new recruits should take heed - this dense forest is home to a fearsome creature known as the Snarbolax. Said to be a massive beast draped in living shadows, this dark predator enjoys toying with its prey before delivering the final blow. It is advised that only Knights who have mastered Tier 1 take on this formidable beast as those who have entered unprepared have never returned!

We are proud to announce that Spiral Knights is now available as one of the first ever free to play games on Steam! At this time we would like to extend a great big welcome to all the new Knights that we are sure to see from this partnership. Welcome to the Clockworks!

Steam users who play Spiral Knights will find their Steam friends already added to their friends list in game as well as other special offers exclusive to Steam players.

Within the depths of Tier 2 a new gremlin weapons facility has been discovered, The Ironclaw Munitions Factory. Intel from Spiral HQ has confirmed that under a direct mandate from the Crimson Order, gremlin engineers have begun developing a weapon of incredible power. Known only as 'Project Roarmulus,' this weapon has been designed with the sole purpose of destroying Haven! Knights are ordered to infiltrate this harrowing complex of devious destructive devices and put an end to 'Project Roarmulus' as well as recover a recon module of the Alpha Squad. Take heed though, gremlins don’t exactly believe in a 'safe' work environment.

Get energized Spiral Knights, this weekend will be a Power Surge Weekend! Beginning Friday, July 15 at 2pm server time and ending Sunday, July 17 at 9pm server time all elevator costs will be half off! A Power Surge Weekend is the perfect time to see more of the Clockworks than you ever have before, offering more adventure for your mist. So gather your friends, ready your sword and take the plunge!

The Strangers have decided to unload some of their supplies to the Spiral Knights who have valiantly defended Haven from the devious gremlin weaponry of the Ironclaw Munitions Factory. The Birdsong Trading Co. will be hosting a giveaway to all players this weekend! Beginning Friday, July 22 at 2pm server time and ending Sunday, July 24 at 9pm server time all players logged in to the game will be eligible for hourly prize giveaways!

King Krogmo has officially opened his monster resort, King Krogmo's Coliseum. This battle sport arena allows Knights to duke it out for fantastic prizes!

The first event, Blast Network, is now available with more events on the way soon. Blast Network is a highly explosive event that pits Knights against each other and equips them with instant-charging bombs. The object of the game is to blow the competition to smithereens! Blast Network has no equipment requisites at all - simply join and get blasting whenever you like.

But that's not all! Each event awards participants with Krogmo Coins that can be exchanged for prizes only found in the Coliseum. There are many to choose from, including recipes for weapons, trinkets and more!

Get energized Spiral Knights, this weekend will be a Power Surge Weekend! Beginning Friday, August 12 at 2pm PDT and ending Sunday, August 14 at 9pm PDT all elevator costs will be half off! A Power Surge Weekend is the perfect time to see more of the Clockworks than you ever have before, offering more adventure for your mist. So gather your friends, ready your sword and take the plunge!

The Strangers have once again decided to unload some of their supplies to the Spiral Knights. The Birdsong Trading Co. will be hosting a giveaway to all players this weekend!

Beginning Friday, August 19 at 2pm server time (PDT) and ending Sunday, August 21 at 9pm server time (PDT) all players logged in to the game will be eligible for hourly prize giveaways!

Two new species of monsters have been sighted lurking within the Clockworks: the polyp and the howlitzer.

The polyp is a slime turret that fires piercing barbs. Proceed with caution around this gooey gunner as Intel has discovered that it cannot be surprised! While a polyp has no true 'eyes' it can see in all directions at all times.

The howlitzer is an undead turret that fires shadowy bullets. Even if you manage to destroy this clacking cannon it always has one last trick up its sleeve- it fires its skull directly at its attacker like a missile!

The Spiral Knights Official Soundtrack is now available! This two disc set features thirty one extended, remixed and remastered tracks by composer Harry Mack.

So if you're a fan of the delightful sonic joy that is the music of Spiral Knights, head on over to your favorite online music vendor and pick it up!

A new Undead level series has appeared within the Clockworks- the Candlestick Keep. These haunted grounds are all that remains of the once prosperous Owlite Academy. Though now overtaken by spookats and other undead horrors, Knights will find Owlite ward candles scattered about the Keep that will save them from what lurks in the dark.

Truly brave Knights will also discover deviously challenging, new Danger Rooms hidden within the Clockworks. Enter at your own risk!

Between September 6th 10am PDT and September 19th 10am PDT, purchase energy packages of $9.95 USD or more and receive a special bonus item from the new Rose Regalia costume set for each purchase!

Become a Knight of the Rose, a sacred order of brave and especially dashing heroes whose numerous adventures are the subject of many folk tales. The Knights of the Rose were said to be peerless fencers, believing that their blades were like the flowers of their name: a delicate thing of beauty that hides a vicious sting.

King Krogmo has unveiled his latest Coliseum event, Lockdown! Capturing the true spirit of battle, Lockdown has Knights fighting for domination of control points across sprawling battlefields. Further adding to the fray, Spiral HQ has authorized the use of two new features: class mods and loadouts.

Class mods allow Lockdown participants to completely alter their playstyle. Will you choose to take on the role of the stalwart Guardian, the hard hitting Striker or the elusive Recon?

Loadouts are specific sets of gear that you can create and customize for fast equipping in towns, Clockwork Terminals and Lockdown team bases. Find the perfect combination that's right for you!

Get energized Spiral Knights, this weekend will be a Power Surge Weekend! Beginning Friday, September 23 at 2pm PDT and ending Sunday, September 25 at 9pm PDT all elevator costs will be half off! A Power Surge Weekend is the perfect time to see more of the Clockworks than you ever have before, offering more adventure for your mist. So gather your friends, ready your sword and take the plunge!

Now you can accessorize your helmets and armor with a huge assortment of new accessory items! Simply take your accessories to the new shop in the Haven Bazaar, the Accessory Forge run by the stylish Knight, Bechamel. Accessories can be traded on the Auction House as well, so keep your eyes out for ultra-rare accessories that are up for sale!

Also included in this update is a new bonus for completing levels in the Clockworks, the Prize Wheel! Each Knight that reaches an elevator will get a free spin on the wheel and potentially earn great prizes like the new, rare Lockboxes. So if you're feeling lucky, head down into the Clockworks and give this new feature a spin!

Deep within the Tier 3 clearance zone of the Clockworks, Spiral HQ has discovered a terminal containing elevators leading to what are being referred to as Shadow Lairs. Knights who have ventured within these strange new worlds have reported feeling a dreadful darkness enveloping them at every turn.

Shadow Lairs feature some of the most terrifying monsters of the Clockworks imbued with dark powers: madness has overtaken the Snarbolax, Lord Vanaduke has embraced the forbidden powers of Darkfire and now commands a legion of cursed undead, and the Royal Jelly has been usurped by a far more legitimate heir to the throne!

The Dark Harvest Festival is now being celebrated in Haven and will end on November 1st!

This annual event honors the mischievous Punkin King in order to ensure a healthy fall harvest. All Clockwork Tunnels-style levels like Power Complexes and Blast Chambers now have a chance of featuring special rooms inhabited by the Punkin King. Simply hop on the party pad and discover if the Punkin King has candy tokens or something else in store for you!

Remember, this event ends November 1st so collect all the candy you can and get those masks!

Many levels within the Clockworks now feature 'Arsenal Stations' that allow you to change your gear or loadouts before facing the challenges of a level. So long as you have a wide variety of equipment, a difficult stratum with varying themes will be no match for your arsenal!

Additionally, energy reviving now comes coupled with a powerful energy blast that knocks back and damages monsters! There are four levels of energy blasts to discover that should all greatly aid any Knights who find themselves knocked out and surrounded by the terrible denizens of the Clockworks.

For a limited time the energy depot now offers an 'Elevator Pass.' When purchased an Elevator Pass will allow all Knights on an account to bypass energy fees on elevators!
The Elevator Pass is automatically activated on the account at the time of purchase and lasts 30 days. During this time you are free to play as many levels as you please, there are no restrictions!

Winter has come to Cradle and all of Haven is covered in a soft blanket of snow. Snipes and monsters alike are in the holiday spirit and the Haven Arcade is being visited by Impostoclaus!

From now until January 9, 2012 Krogmo Coins can be used to purchase festive Santy Hats from Sullivan in the Haven Arcade. And so long as you're battling for those coins, be sure to check out the all new Frostbite Lockdown challenge that features piles of snowballs for you to hurl at your opponents, turning them into snowmen!