Valheim Lets You Keep Achievements After Using Cheats

Valheim has just exited its five-year early access period with a full 1.0 release, introducing a new biome, a final boss, and over fifty achievements. For a long time, the game’s reward system had a strict rule: using the developer console to cheat permanently disabled your ability to earn those badges. That restriction has now been lifted for Steam users through a pair of patches that include a unique, self-explanatory command.

According to reporting from GN technics/gaming (en-US), the developer Iron Gate has added a function that lets players opt back into the achievement system. The move is framed as a matter of personal judgment, with the developers jokingly noting that the Norse god Oden will likely know if the tool is used in a way that feels dishonest. It is a pragmatic change that acknowledges many players want both the ease of debugging or testing and the satisfaction of completing the game’s milestones.

A command with no pretense

The new devcommand is named 'yesiuseddevcommandsbutiwantmyachievementsanyway'. It is a direct, unambiguous instruction that tells the game to reset your achievement status despite prior use of cheats or mods. This is not a hidden backdoor or a complex exploit; it is an official feature included in the patch notes. The command is currently available only on Steam, though the developers have stated that the underlying fixes are cross-platform compatible and will be extended to other stores in an upcoming hotfix.

For readers unfamiliar with the game's mechanics, the developer console allows players to spawn items, change weather, or bypass difficult combat encounters. Previously, this action acted as a one-way switch that turned off the trophy system for that save file. Now, players can effectively undo that switch. The trade-off is purely reputational within the gaming community; the game itself no longer enforces a penalty for mixing convenience with completionist goals.

Practical fixes beyond the cheat

While the achievement update is the most talked-about change, the patches also address several quality-of-life issues in the new Deep North biome. Heavy armor in this region can now be repaired, which was a significant oversight in the 1.0 launch. Additionally, the developers fixed a bug where the new timberwood drawbridges were too narrow for carts to pass through, a critical issue for players transporting resources across gaps.

There is also a controversial change regarding snow. Players can no longer punch snow to remove it from their path. Instead, they must craft a shovel to clear the way. While this adds a layer of resource management, it removes a quick and satisfying interaction that many players enjoyed. The patch also includes fixes for crash issues related to zone loading and ensures that items on armor stands do not lose their durability or upgrade levels when loading older save files.

The balance of convenience and honor

This update highlights a common tension in survival games: the desire for a challenge versus the desire for accessibility. By allowing players to opt back in, Iron Gate is giving players the freedom to define their own experience. The catch is that this feature is not automatic; players must actively choose to re-enable achievements. This ensures that the achievement remains a deliberate choice rather than a default state, preserving some sense of intentionality in the reward system.

As Valheim settles into its post-early access era, these patches signal a focus on stability and player agency. The game now supports a wider range of playstyles, from strict purists who refuse to touch the console to those who want to test new mechanics before committing to a run. The result is a more flexible experience that respects different approaches to gameplay, even if it means Oden might raise an eyebrow at your methods.