Assassin’s Creed Shadows final update launches June 16, adds new story quest and end-game feature

Publisher Ubisoft and developer Ubisoft Quebec will release the final update for Assassin’s Creed Shadows on June 16, the companies announced. It will add the new story quest “Black Tides,” end-game feature “Domains,” and more.

Here are the details.

■ New Free Story Quest: Black Tides

A new threat washes ashore!

Two elite-level Templars known as “Black Cross” are called to Japan to hunt Naoe and Yasuke for all the trouble they have caused. But as is often the case with the Templar Order, those Black Cross may have additional goals of their own: It’s up to our two protagonists to prevent them from acquiring whatever they seek – and manage to stay alive…

Conditions for Black Tides:

• Complete Naoe & Yasuke’s main story.
• Complete “A Critical Encounter” post-launch quest.
• Complete “A Puzzlement” post-launch quest.

■ New Crossover Projects: Riptides and Undertow

We’re releasing two new crossover Projects available in the Animus HUB called Riptides and Undertow, in which you can unlock new themed outfits, weapons, trinkets and more!

To activate the new Projects, complete Anomalies and progress through the rewards like previously released ones. These include rewards for both Shadows and Black Flag Resynced and can be progressed by completing Anomalies from both games.

Note: Unfortunately, these will not be available on Nintendo Switch 2 as it contains crossover content with Black Flag Resynced, which will not be releasing for Nintendo.

■ New End-Game Feature: Domains

A brand-new Animus activity that will put your RPG build crafting skills to the test as you tackle 5 new gameplay simulations across 10 challenge levels.

• Unlock conditions: Reach level 30

MOD, an Assassin hacker, has created a new type of simulation called “Domains.” These trials are designed to help the Dark Animus users sharpen their combat and survival skills. Those who can rise to the challenge can earn dozens of new and remixed outfits, weapons, trinkets and engravings.

The higher the difficulty, the more gameplay modifiers will be applied. The goal is to push you out of your comfort zone and make you rethink your loadouts. A strategy that works in one Domain may not in the next. “Time to get those Mythic and Artifact upgrades you’ve been putting off!”

MOD has an exclusive shop and in-game currency you can use to purchase new end-game gear sets, new powerful engravings, and a progression tree to support the Domain’s increasing challenges. As you push through higher difficulties, MOD will reward you with weapons and armors that longtime Animus users may recognize.

And you will need it all if you want to beat the hardest challenge levels (and get the secret rewards along the way!)

Note: None of these items will ever be in the store or the exchange. These are Domain-exclusive, for bragging rights only!

■ New Animus Rift: Horizon

Another Rift has opened to reveal trouble stirring in its depths.

The Eagle has more information to share about the Guide.

Note: You must complete the two previous Animus Rifts to access the New one: Horizon.

■ Additional Highlights

Quality of Life HUB Improvements

Change to the access to Animus HUB features in the main menu.

We’ve changed the access to the HUB features in the main menu to harmonize with how they are accessed from gameplay. The System menu will now only be accessible through the Shadows’ Memory page.

Bug Fixes and Improvements

• Gameplay
  • Damage increase for “Shurikens” fired from the “Bank Shot” and “Triple Threat” tools mastery upgrade.[JF4.1]
  • All abilities that destroy enemy armor are now half as effective when used against bosses.
  • Fixed an issue preventing the “weak point attacks from making enemies vulnerable a second time” engraving from unlocking correctly.
  • Fixed an issue where Yasuke’s knowledge bonus that granted damage reduction against melee or ranged attacks had no effect.
  • Enemies now take fall damage from shorter heights, resulting in more overall fall damage.
  • Damage from “Poison Kunai” thrown by enemies is reduced.
  • Damage from “Explosive Grenades” thrown by enemies is reduced.[JF5.1]
  • Up to six “Corrupted Castles” are now available each season.
  • Fixed an issue with Naoe’s “Katana Sheath” being stuck to her.
• User Interface
  • Forge engraving lists have been reordered, and a new “Critical Category” has been added.
  • Fixed an issue where some perks are shown in the wrong forge category engraving list.
  • Fixed an issue where some perks and knowledge skills displayed the wrong icons.
  • Fixed an issue where the “Damage when Hitting Vulnerable Enemies” perk was missing from the stat sheet.
  • Naoe’s “Peasant Hat Headgear” perk now has extra text in the stat sheet clarifying it only triggers when below 1 adrenaline.
  • Fixed an issue where Yasuke’s knowledge bonus “Damage with Combo Enders” showed a value 10 times higher than intended in the stat sheet.
  • Pins and world markers are now saved through travels in Japan and Awaji.
• Gears and Perks
  • Perks listed below have been reworked to a % of an adrenaline chunk and have been rebalanced to a lower value:
    • Adrenaline Tools
    • Adrenaline on Headshot
    • Adrenaline on Critical Hit
    • Adrenaline over half health
    • Adrenaline under half health
    • Adrenaline on afflicted enemies
    • Adrenaline on posture attack
    • Adrenaline on vulnerable enemies
  • Perk present on “Whisper of Gold Long Katana” now increases ability damage by 100% (up from 50%).
  • Fixed an issue where Naoe’s “Kusarigama” perk “Affliction on Entangled Enemy” dealt lower damage than intended when triggering bleed with entanglement.
  • Fixed an issue with “Blade of Yumminess” missing from inventory in some cases.
  • “Teppo” and “Bow” weapons can now be engraved with armour damage and armour piercing perks.
  • Fixed an issue where the “Arrownomics Bow” perk could be engraved on amulets.
  • Fixed an issue where the “Golden Chamber Teppo” perk could be engraved on amulets.
  • Perk present on Naoe’s “Ethereal Cloth Headgear” now triggers when health is below 15% (up from 10%).
  • Perk present on Naoe’s “Pink Petal Kosode Light Armour” and Yasuke’s “Sakura Bloom Armour” now converts adrenaline to 20% health on death (up from 10%).
  • Fixed an issue to prevent Yasuke’s “Riddle Scroll Beacon Trinket Perk” from reverting to default perk.
  • Fixed an issue where “Consecutive Enemy Kills” perk would not reset when combat ended.
  • Fixed an issue where “Consecutive Enemy Kills” perk would reset upon being damaged.
  • Perks with the condition “with backstab” can now correctly only be engraved on “Tanto” weapons.
  • Perks with conditions such as “with ranged weapons”, “with headshots”, and “while stationary” can no longer be engraved on melee weapons, where they would have no effect.
  • Perks with conditions such as “with melee weapons”, “with posture”, “with combo ender”, “when hitting multiple enemies” can no longer be engraved on ranged weapons, where they would have no effect.
  • Fixed an issue where some perks affecting affliction duration or granting adrenaline didn’t have their effect increased when engraved on enhanced items.
  • Fixed an issue where the “Critical Change with Melee Weapons” perk could be engraved on armours instead of helmets.
• Spoilers Ahead
  • Quests
    • “Gather Mon”: Fixed the “Anomaly Quest” progression issue.
    • “Way of the Blacksmith”: Fixed an issue where “Heji and the forge” have been removed from the hideout and his quest is not available.
    • “Lost and Found”: Fixed an issue where Sentinel B-Ser.0197 is teleported out of bounds.
  • Platform Specific
    • Nintendo Switch 2
      • GPU performance improvements in handheld mode.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows is available now for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, Switch 2, PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, and Ubisoft Store, Mac, and Luna.

Watch a new trailer below.

Last Content Drop Update Trailer