Assassin's Creed Shadows roadmap, DLC and future content

The Assassin's Creed Shadows roadmap has been unveiled, showing off what Ubisoft is adding over the next few months. We already knew about the Claws of Awaji expansion, which will continue Yasuke and Naoe's story beyond the main quest of Assassin's Creed Shadows, but now we know that two Story Drops, new parkour moves, more difficulty options, and an expanded alarm will all be added first. There’s a lot to go over, so here's everything we know about future updates, expansions, and DLCs for Assassin's Creed Shadows.

Assassin's Creed Shadows update roadmap

Ubisoft has unveiled new post-launch content plans for Year 1 of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, which include new quests, parkour improvements, new game plus, and the previously announced Claws of Awaji expansion.

Unlike previous Assassin's Creed games, Shadows will not have a Season Pass which means that these content updates will be free, with the Claws of Awaji expansion (covered further below) and new store items being the only exceptions. These free updates will also be packed with new activities and features, as well as improvements to existing aspects of the game.

Here are all the updates Ubisoft has announced so far and when they’ll release for the Assassin’s Creed Shadows roadmap:

Early May

• First Story Drop, “The Works of Luis Frois”: A free update focused on learning more about the Jesuit scholar Luis Frois, who appears at various points in the main story, notably right at the beginning when Yasuke (then Diogo) is acting as a bodyguard.
• Codex update
• Quality-of-life improvements

Late May

• First Special Collaboration: Who this collaboration is with has not yet been announced.
• Parkour update: New height-gaining back-ejects, newly animated height-gaining side-ejects and an entirely new vertical ledge jump move. The latter is a simple vertical jump that lets bother characts grab overhangs and awnings.
• Photo Mode update: New filters, stickers, character poses, facial expressions, and even ambient music.

June

• Second Story Drop: New free quest and a new Assassin’s Creed Shadows Ally.
• New difficulty options
• Gameplay immersion options: You’ll be able to turn off weapon glints, black-and-white ability filters, assassination filter effects, and stealth outlines – for if Assassin’s Creed Shadows immersive mode hasn’t been enough.
• Open world alarm system: The alarm system will be expanded to make things tougher when you’re not in a castle – make sure you read our Assassin’s Creed Shadows Wanted level guide first.
• Headgear in cutscenes option: Allows you to choose whether your hoods, hats, and helmets for Naoe and Yasuke appear during cutscenes and conversations.

Later

• Claws of Awaji expansion
• Assassin’s Creed Shadows New Game+
• Community feedback updates
• More Story Drops, Special Collaborations, and Codex updates
• More Animus content: New items in the Exchange, new rewards, and new Assassin’s Creed Shadows Projects.
• New rewards
• New premium store items

Assassin's Creed Shadows Claws of Awaji expansion

The first Assassin's Creed Shadows expansion, Claws of Awaji, sees Naoe and Yasuke trapped on a mysterious island, the real-life Awaji Island west of Osaka. It will release "later in 2025" and is free to all players that pre-ordered Assassin’s Creed Shadows, but there is still no way to buy it separately for when it launches.

Naoe and Yasuke must reclaim a lost treasure while avoiding traps and ambushes from deadly new foes, the crafty Sanzoku Ippa. The expansion also introduces the Bō weapon type for Naoe – a staff for poking and beating opponents – and will feature new gear to loot and abilities to unlock. Ubisoft says it will provide "over 10 hours of additional content" and takes place after the ending of the main game.

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