Assassin’s Creed Shadows DLC ‘Claws of Awaji’ arrives September 16 with new region and story

Ubisoft has officially announced the first major downloadable content (DLC) for Assassin’s Creed Shadows, titled Claws of Awaji, which is scheduled for release on September 16. The upcoming expansion will offer players more than ten hours of fresh gameplay, featuring a new region situated beyond Osaka Bay and introducing new enemies, quests, and a compelling narrative centred on Naoe and Yasuke.

The story unfolds on the mysterious Island of Awaji, where the duo embarks on a perilous journey in pursuit of lost treasure. Along the way, they must confront a ruthless new enemy faction known as Sanzoku Ippa. The DLC also brings a host of new features, including exclusive weapons, legendary gear, and additional combat abilities.

Those who pre-ordered the game will gain access to the DLC once they have completed the main storyline. The expansion will also be available for individual purchase on its release date.

What's coming before the expansion

Before Claws of Awaji launches, Ubisoft plans to roll out two key updates to enhance the base game experience:

Progression update: Launching on July 29

A highly anticipated New Game+ mode will debut, allowing players to restart the campaign while retaining their character level, collected gear, skill points, knowledge rank, and hideout progression. The update will also raise the level cap from 60 to 80, introduce new Knowledge and Mastery Skill tiers, and expand hideout upgrades. Additional achievements, trophies, and unique Animus-themed rewards are also included in the update.

Quality-of-Life Update: Arriving early September

The second update is focused on improving gameplay efficiency and comfort. Features include a new option to fast-forward time-of-day, automatic map clearing upon viewpoint synchronisation, expanded Forge and hideout upgrades, and uncapped frame rates for cutscenes on PC. The patch will also address various bugs and performance issues.