During the Future Games Show: Spring Showcase 2025, TaleWorlds Entertainment announced that a new nautical expansion will launch this June for Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord.
Called War Sails, it will introduce naval warfare for the first time, as well as a Viking-inspired faction and new explorable coastal regions. Players will be able to command fleets, engage in naval battles, board enemy ships, and enforce blockades, reshaping warfare on land and sea. According to TaleWorlds, the ability to explore by sea, conduct naval blockades, and engage in ship-based combat will influence battle strategies throughout Calradia, not just in the new territories. Beware, though: storms and attrition can undo even the best-laid plans.
Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord Players will have to master wind and water physics, board or ram ships, and cripple enemies by smashing oars, sinking hulls, or tearing sails. There are 18 ships available, each with unique handling characteristics shaped by wind and waves. They can be upgraded with siege engines, sails, and rams. Throughout the gameplay, players will get to acquire new ships, upgrade ports or win ships and figureheads.
The Nords call the new Northern Kingdom home. In true Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord style, players will be able to trade, recruit, or fight in this land of craggy peaks and icy fjords. The War Sails expansion also adds a northern sea, islands, rivers and open waters. Of course, players will also find new companions, Norse banners, hairstyles, tattoos, armor, unique weapons, new spears, swords, and axes.
The release of the War Sails expansion, scheduled for June 17, will also be accompanied by the release of the free patch v1.3. The developers are also planning further updates to introduce new gameplay mechanics, including stealth and disguise systems for dungeons and hideouts, random events that will tie into the character trait system, a Parley feature, numerous combat improvements, new weapon types, and additional exciting improvements for players and modders alike.
In closing, TaleWorlds announced that Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord has sold over five million units across all platforms since its launch a few years back.