Assassin’s Creed Shadows, from Ubisoft, gets the Claws of Awaji expansion on September 16, adding more than ten hours of story, a new island to explore, and fresh weapons and armor. It continues Naoe and Yasuke’s plot and raises the level cap, altering post-game progression for players who return.
Awaji Island is an isolated area with varied biomes, beaches, swamps, and jungles, and a focus on ambush tactics. Enemies can strike from hiding and some blend in as civilians, so combat encounters will demand a different rhythm than the main map. The expansion introduces several unique bosses and a threatening faction that hunts Naoe and Yasuke. The official announcement for Claws of Awaji describes the island as a self-contained region separate from the base game.
At release, Naoe receives the Bo staff, a weapon designed for agile combos and crowd control, the expansion also adds multiple legendary Bo Staves found across Awaji. New armor sets and gear arrive alongside those weapons, each with distinct visuals and perks. The expansion ties into the game’s upcoming progression bump, and finishing both Naoe and Yasuke’s main quests is required before it can be accessed. Players who have not completed the core story should treat some narrative beats as spoilers.
Shadows has received several updates since launch, including New Game+ and higher level caps, and Claws of Awaji plugs into that broader progression work. The expansion is available for purchase or via Ubisoft+ and will be playable on Xbox Series X|S at launch. The September 16 release date applies to those platforms and subscription availability as noted by the publisher.
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