After a successful launch earlier this year, Assassin’s Creed Shadows is getting its first paid expansion, as Claws of Awaji comes to PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC.
The Assassin’s Creed Shadows DLC has a September 15 release date and a 1pm BST launch time for fans living in the UK. That’s 5am PDT / 8am EDT for players in the US.
According to Ubisoft, Claws of Awaji is actually free to anybody who pre-ordered the game before it launched back in March. Otherwise, the expansion will be available as a separate purchase for “25 euros/dollars”.
The expansion sees players head to a new island, which is said to be dominated by a “nefarious faction intent on uncovering the final Regalia”. It features around ten hours of new content, alongside new weapons like the Bo staff.
Ubisoft explains more: “Embark on a completely new adventure as Naoe & Yasuke and travel to the mysterious Island of Awaji beyond Osaka Bay.
“As the pair scour this new region seeking to reclaim a lost treasure, they are hunted relentlessly by deadly new foes. Securing the object – and Japan’s future – won’t be easy, with all the traps and ambushes putting our protagonists at risk.”
To access the Claws of Awaji DLC, players will need to complete the main story arcs for Naoe and Yasuke. You’ll then need to complete the ‘Out of the Shadows’ quest, before tracking down Hanzo’s contract at your Hideout in Settsu.
In addition to Claws of Awaji, Ubisoft is giving away a free quest to all owners of the game, even without the expansion. The free mission also introduces the Bo Staff.
To prepare for the new expansion, Ubisoft recently released update 1.1.1, which adds other new gameplay features to the adventure.
As you can see from the patch notes through this link, the update adds a raised level cap, hideout upgrades and the ability to advance the time of day.
Unique buildings now include two additional upgrade levels for a total of 20 new enhancements, and three new Hideout levels.
PC users will be pleased to hear that cutscenes are now uncapped and are no longer limited to 30 frames-per-second.
Finally, upgrading the Study to level four allows Scouts to reveal Viewpoints and Safehouses.