Don’t Starve Together rings in Lunar New Year with the Year of the Clockwork Knight event, now live on Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation (Nintendo Switch arriving after certification). This major seasonal update pairs festive spectacle with substantive addition: think a new Clockwork Knight Shrine, a theatrical stage play, armored Gilded Knights, balance tweaks to Clockworks and Crystal‑Crested Buzzards, plus a fresh lineup of skins, streaming drops, and limited‑time login rewards, giving survivors both new goals to chase and stylish reasons to jump back into the world.
Event Highlights
• Clockwork Knight Shrine: A brand‑new shrine that rewards active participation in the event. Players can complete shrine activities and earn exclusive event rewards, encouraging repeat engagement and giving clear progression goals during the Lunar New Year festivities.
• New Stage Play My Knights Four and I: A theatrical, lore‑driven activity that layers narrative flavor onto gameplay. The stage play offers scripted encounters and set‑piece moments that expand the world’s story while providing unique, repeatable objectives for groups to tackle.
• Gilded Knights: Armored Gilded Knights now patrol key areas to defend their Princess. Equipped with lances and distinct AI behavior, these foes alter encounter dynamics by forcing players to rethink approach routes, timing, and crowd control, adding both challenge and visual spectacle.
• Balance adjustments to Clockworks and Crystal‑Crested Buzzards: Targeted tuning has been applied to smooth difficulty spikes, refine pacing, and improve encounter flow. These adjustments aim to make Clockwork encounters more consistent and Crystal‑Crested Buzzards less disruptive, improving overall playability across event maps.
New Skins and Cosmetic Drops
• Equinor Survivors Chest, Part I: Priced at $6.99 USD, this themed chest unlocks clockwork‑inspired outfits for Maxwell, Webber, Willow, Wilson, and Winona, giving survivors a cohesive, mechanical aesthetic that fits the event’s Lunar New Year motif.
• Chitinous Collection: The update launches the Chitinous Collection, led by the striking “Light of the Flies” lantern skin. This new line leans into organic, insectile textures and pairs well with the event’s darker, ornate visuals.
• Streaming and promotional drops: Several cosmetics are tied to streaming activity and promotional windows. These time‑sensitive drops include additional Chitinous pieces and event‑exclusive items; players who want the full set should follow official streams and participate during the event to maximize their chances.
• Limited login rewards: Don’t miss the “Heartchet” axe skin and “Horse Shoes, both available as short‑term login bonuses during the event period, rewarding regular play with collectible flair.
Login Bonuses and Limited Rewards
• Heartchet axe skin and Horse Shoes are available as limited‑time login rewards during the Year of the Clockwork Knight event. These items are designed to reward regular play throughout the Lunar New Year window and add collectible, showpiece cosmetics to your inventory.
• Claiming them is simple: log in during the event period to receive the rewards automatically, then equip the axe and trinket to personalize your survivor’s look and show off your participation in the festivities.
Gameplay Impact
The Clockwork Knight Shrine and new stage play create clear, repeatable objectives that reward exploration and sustained participation, turning seasonal content into meaningful short‑term goals. The arrival of Gilded Knights forces players to rethink routes and timing: armored patrols with lances change choke points, patrol patterns, and crowd‑control priorities, encouraging more deliberate planning and opportunistic play.
Meanwhile, the balance passes to Clockworks and Crystal‑Crested Buzzards smooth out spikes in difficulty and reduce frustrating edge cases, making encounters more consistent across event maps. Together, these changes blend cosmetic celebration with substantive tuning: the event adds spectacle and new toys while improving encounter flow, replayability, and tactical depth for both solo survivors and coordinated groups.
Availability and Platform Notes
• Platforms: The event is live now on Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation.
• Nintendo Switch: Switch support is pending certification and will be released as soon as it clears the platform process.
• Time‑limited content: Several cosmetics, streaming drops, and login rewards are available only during event windows; participate early to secure event‑exclusive items.
Roadmap and What’s Next
The team frames this update as a transitional moment, a tidy wrap to event season while development pivots toward the next chapter. Work is already underway behind the scenes, and players can expect a steady drip of information rather than a single surprise: developer updates, detailed patch notes, and early previews will arrive in the weeks ahead to outline priorities and timelines.
Look for the next Intermission in mid‑March, when the studio plans to share the upcoming roadmap and more concrete details about the next major update. The team is explicitly leaning on community feedback gathered during this event: reports, screenshots, and player impressions will help shape feature priorities and tuning decisions as development progresses.
Final Takeaway
The Year of the Clockwork Knight gives Don’t Starve Together players a festive, bite‑sized reason to return: shrine rewards, a theatrical stage play, armored Gilded Knights, targeted balance tweaks, and a fresh roster of cosmetics and login bonuses. These additions deliver seasonal atmosphere while also introducing meaningful gameplay moments and repeatable goals.
Jump in early to secure time‑limited drops and login rewards, and experiment with new tactics when Gilded Knights patrol the map, their presence changes how encounters play out. For collectors and completionists, the Equinor chest and streaming drops add plenty of incentive to participate during the event window.
Keep an eye on the studio’s updates: the next Intermission in mid‑March will bring the roadmap and the first concrete previews of the next major update, so your feedback and event activity now can help shape what comes next.