Quick-Guide: The Road To Awaji

Hello, Assassins!

The Claws of Awaji expansion is here! Read on to get all the information you need for what's in store and how to immediately begin the next chapter of Naoe and Yasuke's journey.

Claws of Awaji releases on September 16 at 05:00AM PT / 08:00AM ET/12:00PM UTC/09:00PM JST

You can catch up on the Release Notes for Title Update 1.1.1, coming September 11 here.

Lastly, if you did not pre-order the game, please note the expansion will be available for purchases across all platforms at $/€ 25 on September 16th.

Here are the global release timings for the Claws of Awaji expansion:

[ACSH] Claws of Awaji Preparation Article - Map Release

PART I: WHERE/HOW TO ACCESS EXPANSION

Warning: Light spoilers for the base game of Assassin's Creed Shadows below.

Access to the Claws of Awaji is contingent upon completion of the main story arcs for both Naoe and Yasuke. Make sure you have finished the quest "Out of the Shadows", which is available after completing the personal quests for Naoe, Yasuke, and Junjiro.

Then simply track down Hanzo's contact at your Hideout in Settsu and you'll be able to embark on the new journey to the mysterious island of Awaji.

We also would like to inform MacOS users eligible for the Claws of Awaji DLC that the content may not be accessible immediately after launching the game for the first time following the release of the DLC.

To resolve this, please launch the game while connected online, then close it and reboot—either online or offline—to ensure the DLC becomes available.

PART II: NEW CONTENT AVAILABLE WITH EXPANSION

[ACSH] Claws of Awaji Preparation Article - Bo

September 16 also brings a new free quest for all owners of the game to introduce the Bo staff! After completing the quest to unlock the weapon and train Naoe in its use, you will add the Bo to her arsenal. Please note that procedural Bo drops across Japan are exclusive to owners of Claws of Awaji. We hope you enjoy this new addition to Naoe's toolkit!

Owners of the expansion will also find unique new armor and gear pieces throughout the expansion's story and activities, with new appearances and new powers.

Similarly, new skills and weapon abilities for both Naoe and Yasuke are available to all players.

However, the various Legendary Bo Staves, each with their own unique engravings, will primarily be available on the island of Awaji by completing the story and clearing castles. Additional Legendary Bo Staves will be released via the Animus Hub and through bundles in the Store.

PART III: GAMEPLAY/STORY REQUIREMENTS

Warning! Heavy spoilers for the base game of Assassin's Creed Shadows beyond this point.

If you want to fast-track yourself from wherever you are right now in the story, here are the quests and targets you need to eliminate to reach the end of the game as fast as possible: