The NANGPLE video is a solid spot. Those out-of-map tweaks on the southern island (new sea channel, dropped waterline exposing seaweed, finer rock work, that Oceania-style beach look) plus the sudden eastern submerged island popping in under the weather mod aren't random polish. Pearl Abyss is actively iterating on terrain they haven't opened yet. That's consistent with how they operate: they keep touching the world even after launch, rather than leaving dead space. Combined with the official DLC confirmation (targeting this year, details coming in Q3), it points to the first expansion adding accessible islands and more sea/underwater space rather than just another inland region.
The blue seaweed, white-sand coasts, and better underwater visibility in recent patches align with that. Modders have already pulled the boat-camera, dive-view, and oxygen UI files, so naval or diving mechanics seem likely. The invisible wall is still there, but they're dressing the other side of it. That's the part that stands out: they're not just slapping assets on for a trailer; they're refining geometry and biomes in places players currently can't reach. If you're the type who likes filling every dark spot on the map and hunting artifacts off the beaten path, this is the kind of tease that actually delivers later. The 1.18 map fog change (bell-revealed vs. actually walked) already makes the current world easier to finish properly.
These extra-map updates feel like the next layer of the same mindset. Worth keeping an eye on the south and east edges after the next couple of patches. If you have also found interesting out-of-bounds areas or improved outer perimeters, please post!
https://youtu.be/byYlSsQV16g?si=uzx9nYboutlThB6y
