Ubisoft’s long-awaited Assassin’s Creed Shadows invites players to step into a vivid reimagining of feudal Japan, bringing stealth, combat, and narrative depth to an era rich with intrigue. Gamers worldwide crave every detail about its mechanics, hidden features, and how it compares to earlier titles in the franchise. Among the hottest topics generating speculation is whether Shadows includes a coveted feature fans hold dear: New Game Plus.
The concept of New Game Plus has evolved into a cornerstone of modern gaming. It transforms how players experience beloved titles by unlocking the chance to replay the story while retaining progress, gear, or unique perks. This feature offers incentives to dive back into the same world, explore new paths, and uncover secrets missed the first time around. Players who adore maximizing character builds and hunting legendary loot wait anxiously for confirmation about New Game Plus in Shadows.
This in-depth guide explores every angle of the question “Does Assassin’s Creed Shadows Have New Game Plus?” You’ll discover insights on replay value, comparisons to other entries in the series, possible DLC expansions, and how the community’s hopes could shape Shadows’ future.
Why Players Want New Game Plus in Assassin’s Creed Shadows
New Game Plus remains more than a simple game mode. It stands as a love letter to fans who wish to extend their journey without leaving favorite worlds behind. Players invest hours crafting unique assassins, collecting rare gear, and forging powerful builds. Many can’t bear to abandon that progress when the credits roll.
A robust New Game Plus feature allows assassins to keep legendary katanas, elite armor sets, and fully upgraded abilities. The allure lies in testing skills against stronger enemies or exploring branching narrative choices with prior knowledge. For fans who remember seeking out the Assassin’s Creed Valhalla sarcophagus shield location or pushing builds to max level in Odyssey, New Game Plus becomes the perfect playground to continue these obsessions.
How New Game Plus Transformed Previous Assassin’s Creed Games
Ubisoft introduced New Game Plus to the franchise with Assassin’s Creed Origins, responding to fan requests for replayability beyond side quests. Assassin’s Creed Odyssey expanded the concept further, letting players carry over gear, abilities, and cosmetic options into new playthroughs. The thrill of chasing perfect stats fueled many return journeys.
Some entries, however, skipped New Game Plus entirely. Assassin’s Creed Black Flag never offered this feature, despite fans yearning for fresh reasons to sail Edward Kenway’s seas again. Valhalla sparked controversy when players discovered it lacked New Game Plus at launch. Fans flooded forums asking, “Does Assassin’s Creed Valhalla have New Game Plus?” Ubisoft eventually confirmed the feature would not arrive, disappointing a large portion of the community.
Shadows finds itself standing at this crossroads. Many wonder if Ubisoft learned from Valhalla’s absence of New Game Plus and will integrate it as a core feature this time around.
Comparing Shadows to Shadow of War and Other Titles
Players familiar with other franchises draw comparisons quickly. Games like Shadow of War included a robust New Game Plus mode, enabling players to continue building their armies and exploring the Nemesis System. Fans often ask, “Does Shadow of War have New Game Plus?” The answer remains a resounding yes, with Shadow of War providing substantial incentives to keep playing.
Similarly, discussions around Shadows frequently mention the Nemesis System. Players wonder whether Ubisoft could blend Shadow of War-style persistent enemy relationships into a New Game Plus experience. Although Shadows doesn’t replicate that system precisely, fans continue dreaming of dynamic enemies carrying over into subsequent playthroughs.
What We Know About New Game Plus in Assassin’s Creed Shadows
As of the latest updates, Ubisoft has not officially confirmed New Game Plus for Shadows. Community managers remain tight-lipped, fueling speculation. However, hints appear during interviews and behind-the-scenes footage suggesting Ubisoft’s interest in extending replay value.
Developers have mentioned wanting to create long-lasting experiences where player choices resonate deeply. Shadows’ branching narratives, multiple endings, and robust gear systems seem designed for replayability. These elements align perfectly with New Game Plus expectations.
Ubisoft understands how much New Game Plus matters to fans. Titles without this feature often leave a sense of unfinished business. Shadows may yet surprise players by introducing New Game Plus through post-launch patches or future DLC.
Potential Benefits of New Game Plus in Shadows
Introducing New Game Plus would bring enormous benefits to Shadows:
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Exploring Multiple Endings: Many players hesitate to choose aggressive paths or betray allies during the first run. New Game Plus gives freedom to test alternate choices without sacrificing beloved progress.
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Gear Optimization: Players can continue refining builds, combining legendary loot, and testing different loadouts. Legendary katanas and stealth-focused gear could see new life in higher difficulty settings.
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Extended Lore Discovery: Shadows’ world hides deep narrative layers. New Game Plus allows deeper dives into hidden missions, lore fragments, and optional side quests that might slip past during initial playthroughs.
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Enhanced Enemy Scaling: Enemies scaling to higher levels ensures New Game Plus remains challenging, avoiding the problem of steamrolling foes with late-game builds.
Replay Value Beyond New Game Plus
Even without official New Game Plus confirmation, Shadows offers replayability through its branching storylines and dynamic environment. Players uncover unique quests and dialogue options depending on moral choices. Different paths unlock new missions, alliances, and rewards.
Hidden treasures like those in the Assassin’s Creed Shadows Salvage Chest Location guide motivate players to scour every corner of the map. Salvage chests hold rare dyes, legendary materials, and narrative scrolls contributing to Shadows’ layered storytelling.
Those who finish the main quest discover side missions tied to political conspiracies, secret societies, and legendary combat challenges. Shadows remains a game built for deep exploration, regardless of whether New Game Plus ultimately arrives.
Branching Narratives and Multiple Endings in Shadows
Ubisoft crafted Shadows with multiple endings, offering players impactful choices influencing characters and alliances. Fans frequently ask, “Will Assassin’s Creed Shadows have multiple endings?” The answer appears to be yes.
Choices ripple across Shadows’ narrative, determining who survives, who rules Japan’s power structures, and what legacy the protagonist leaves behind. This branching narrative creates natural motivation for replay. Even without New Game Plus, many players will restart from scratch to explore alternative outcomes.
Challenges Ubisoft Faces Adding New Game Plus
Adding New Game Plus to Shadows isn’t without hurdles. Developers must balance enemy scaling carefully. Overpowered players can trivialize the game if enemies don’t grow stronger in subsequent playthroughs. Conversely, scaling too aggressively frustrates those who just want to enjoy the story again.
Gear progression presents another puzzle. Ubisoft must decide whether to keep late-game legendary items accessible immediately or require new unlocks to preserve balance. Fans eager to test high-tier builds in early chapters also demand seamless integration of cosmetic options from the start.
Ubisoft’s prior experience with Odyssey and Origins equips them for these challenges. However, Shadows’ complex branching narrative adds an extra layer of complexity. Rewriting dialogue and quest structures to account for prior choices could delay implementing New Game Plus.
Will DLC Introduce New Game Plus?
Players speculate that Ubisoft might reserve New Game Plus for a major DLC update. Historically, Ubisoft introduced substantial features post-launch. Odyssey’s New Game Plus arrived months after release. Shadows might follow a similar path.
Hints scattered across developer interviews suggest long-term support for Shadows. Ubisoft wants the game to evolve. Adding New Game Plus as part of a DLC package fits this strategy, ensuring returning players stay engaged for years.
Comparing Shadows to Valhalla’s New Game Plus Situation
Valhalla sparked controversy due to the absence of New Game Plus. Players flooded forums with the question “Is there new game plus in Valhalla?” Ubisoft ultimately chose not to implement it, citing technical constraints and narrative design challenges. Many fans felt frustrated, given Valhalla’s immense size and branching paths.
Shadows faces similar scrutiny. Fans worry history might repeat itself. However, Shadows shows signs of more flexible architecture. Developers designed systems anticipating long-term expansion, raising hopes that New Game Plus might eventually arrive.
What to Do in Shadows After Beating the Game
Even players who finish Shadows without New Game Plus discover plenty to keep them occupied. Post-game activities include:
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Exploring Hidden Locations: Salvage chests remain scattered across remote caves, fortresses, and underwater ruins, each brimming with rare loot.
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Completing Side Quests: Unfinished side missions often lead to significant narrative discoveries, new characters, and gear upgrades.
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Testing Builds: Players fine-tune legendary weapon combinations and experiment with different combat styles against powerful enemies.
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Searching for Lore: Ubisoft tucked countless narrative scrolls and environmental storytelling details throughout Japan’s cities and forests.
Players finishing Shadows without New Game Plus still enjoy rich opportunities for discovery.
How Long Shadows Takes to Complete
Many wonder, “How many hours will AC Shadows be?” Early estimates suggest that a standard playthrough ranges between 50-70 hours. Completionists seeking every salvage chest, legendary item, and alternate ending might extend playtime well beyond 100 hours.
New Game Plus would expand that time further, inviting players to explore new dialogue paths, hidden quests, and tougher battles in replay sessions.
Fan Demands for New Game Plus in Shadows
The community remains vocal. Social media buzzes with posts urging Ubisoft to confirm New Game Plus. Players share elaborate ideas for how such a mode could integrate with Shadows’ branching narrative.
Some want new enemies exclusive to New Game Plus. Others hope for crossovers, allowing gear inspired by characters from Assassin’s Creed Black Flag or even modern collaborations like the new Assassin’s Creed skin in Fortnite to appear in Shadows’ replay sessions.
This passion highlights how deeply New Game Plus factors into fan engagement and game longevity.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows and Future Innovations
New Game Plus fits Ubisoft’s broader strategy for evolving the franchise. Fans crave games that reward long-term engagement. Shadows seems poised to lead that charge, featuring deep customization, legendary loot, and moral choices shaping every playthrough.
Future expansions might tie New Game Plus to new regions, legendary weapons, or crossover events linking Shadows to the broader Assassin’s Creed universe. Ubisoft’s recent willingness to experiment fuels optimism. The community waits eagerly to see how Shadows continues evolving.
New Game Plus and Gear Progression
Players invested in gear progression eagerly anticipate how New Game Plus might handle legendary items. Would a second playthrough grant instant access to powerful katanas and elite armor sets? Or would Ubisoft introduce new challenges requiring fresh crafting efforts even for veteran assassins?
Balancing remains key. Ubisoft must protect the thrill of earning top-tier loot without trivializing early-game content. Many players hope New Game Plus unlocks cosmetic rewards early, allowing assassins to showcase unique styles without sacrificing gameplay challenge.
Why New Game Plus Fits Assassin’s Creed’s Identity
Assassin’s Creed has always embraced secrets waiting beneath the surface. New Game Plus aligns perfectly with this ethos. It rewards curiosity, mastery, and commitment to exploring every layer of the world. Players who cherish discovering alternative endings, hidden dialogue, and rare loot find New Game Plus irresistible.
Shadows represents the franchise’s most ambitious step into layered narrative. Ubisoft understands how essential New Game Plus could become for fans seeking full immersion.
Speculation About Ubisoft’s Approach to New Game Plus
Players studying Ubisoft’s recent development patterns believe Shadows stands a strong chance of receiving New Game Plus—even if it doesn’t arrive at launch. Ubisoft often treats large Assassin’s Creed titles as live-service experiences, supporting them with quality-of-life improvements, expansions, and entirely new features after release.
The success of New Game Plus in games like Odyssey proved how deeply players value replay options. Ubisoft saw how community engagement surged when players returned for a second run to explore new builds, alternate dialogue, and extra challenges. Shadows could follow this template, giving Ubisoft a perfect opportunity to maintain long-term interest.
Community Wish Lists for New Game Plus Features
Assassins across forums and social media constantly share their ideas for New Game Plus in Shadows. Many players hope a second playthrough lets them:
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Unlock all cosmetic dyes immediately, enabling visual experimentation from the start.
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Access legendary weapons like unique katanas without waiting for late-game missions.
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Carry over hideout upgrades to keep their custom aesthetic intact.
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Discover new side quests exclusive to New Game Plus, revealing hidden lore or introducing legendary historical figures.
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Face enemies with new attack patterns or higher intelligence, keeping combat fresh for veteran players.
This enthusiasm shows how passionately the community ties New Game Plus to replay value and storytelling depth.
Gear Variety and New Game Plus Synergy
Shadows features an enormous variety of gear—legendary katanas, polearms, stealth-focused armor, and dyes inspired by historical Japanese textiles. Players pour time and resources into perfecting their builds. Without New Game Plus, much of that gear only gets used in late-game content, leaving early missions untouched by the assassin’s peak strength.
A New Game Plus mode ensures players get to deploy fully upgraded builds right from the first mission. This creates thrilling opportunities to test legendary gear against earlier bosses and enemies, discovering how these tools transform mission strategies.
Narrative Depth Fueling New Game Plus Demand
Shadows continues the franchise tradition of intertwining narrative and gameplay. Multiple endings encourage players to explore how different choices impact the world and characters.
Without New Game Plus, replaying the story means discarding powerful loot and hideout upgrades. Many players hesitate to restart because they’ve worked so hard to unlock legendary gear. New Game Plus removes that obstacle, giving freedom to see all narrative branches while preserving progress.
Ubisoft’s Challenge Balancing Difficulty in New Game Plus
Balancing difficulty poses one of Ubisoft’s biggest challenges when designing New Game Plus. Shadows allows players to reach high levels, crafting gear capable of cutting through ordinary enemies with ease. Simply repeating early missions without adjusting enemy stats would leave veteran assassins overpowered and bored.
Yet overcorrecting with drastically tougher enemies can frustrate players who prefer exploring narrative content without punishing battles. Ubisoft must strike a delicate balance, preserving the thrill of combat while respecting the time players already invested.
Potential for Legendary Content in New Game Plus
Fans dream of new rewards tied exclusively to New Game Plus. Ubisoft could introduce:
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Legendary dyes unavailable in the base game.
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Unique enemy types who only appear in subsequent playthroughs.
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Hidden bosses guarding exclusive loot.
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Scrolls revealing secrets about the broader Assassin’s Creed universe.
This kind of fresh content would entice even casual players to revisit Shadows for additional playthroughs.
Comparisons to Other Titles with Beloved New Game Plus Modes
Shadows’ community regularly compares it to titles like Shadow of War, where New Game Plus dramatically expanded replay value. Shadow of War let players carry forward armies, fortress upgrades, and legendary gear, while introducing new gameplay twists. Fans who adored the Nemesis system speculate that Shadows could implement a version where rival enemies remember past defeats, creating emergent storytelling unique to New Game Plus.
These examples prove how much a well-designed New Game Plus can transform a game into a long-term experience.
Future of New Game Plus as Standard in Gaming
Many players argue that New Game Plus should become standard in large RPGs and open-world titles. Games of Shadows’ scale feature so many systems—gear crafting, stealth mechanics, branching dialogue—that limiting the experience to one playthrough feels incomplete.
Modern audiences expect more value from major releases. New Game Plus gives players a reason to explore every hidden mechanic and corner of the map without feeling like they’ve wasted earlier efforts.
Cosmetic Freedom and Player Expression
Cosmetics fuel player identity in Shadows. Dyes and armor styles inspired by samurai, shinobi, and nobility give players a way to personalize assassins. Many players want New Game Plus to unlock every cosmetic option immediately, freeing them to enjoy creative expression from the very start.
This feature would also improve content creation for streamers and video editors eager to showcase diverse looks during early missions. Fans recall how Valhalla and Odyssey allowed new combinations of armor sets and color schemes, creating visually distinct characters on each run.
Potential Narrative Twists Exclusive to New Game Plus
Ubisoft could introduce narrative surprises reserved only for second or third playthroughs. Imagine conversations referencing events from a prior run, or mysterious characters who only reveal themselves to assassins returning for another journey.
Such innovations would align perfectly with Assassin’s Creed’s tradition of secrets layered beneath the surface. New Game Plus offers fertile ground for weaving additional mysteries into Shadows’ story.
Why New Game Plus Matters for Franchise Longevity
Assassin’s Creed remains one of gaming’s longest-running series. Part of that success comes from creating worlds fans want to revisit repeatedly. New Game Plus helps fuel franchise loyalty by transforming single-player adventures into ongoing relationships between players and Ubisoft’s worlds.
Players who stick with Shadows for hundreds of hours build strong attachments to their characters and stories. New Game Plus cements that bond, ensuring Shadows becomes not just a game—but a lasting experience fans carry forward into future titles.
Community’s Role in Shaping New Game Plus Features
Ubisoft listens carefully to fan feedback. Community outcry about Valhalla’s lack of New Game Plus showed how much this feature matters. Players frequently propose ideas, from enemy reskins to entirely new questlines for a second playthrough.
Active participation from fans shapes how developers prioritize features. Shadows’ community has already made their desires clear, pushing New Game Plus to the forefront of post-launch discussions.
Ubisoft’s Opportunity to Elevate New Game Plus
Ubisoft stands at the threshold of innovation. Shadows offers a chance to redefine what New Game Plus means for open-world RPGs. It could become more than simply replaying missions—it might grow into a sandbox where players experiment with new storylines, gear combinations, and dynamic world events.
Shadows represents fertile ground for pushing the franchise forward. New Game Plus might emerge as the perfect canvas for Ubisoft’s next creative leap.
Final Thoughts on New Game Plus in Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Fans remain eager for official confirmation on “Does Assassin’s Creed Shadows Have New Game Plus?” Ubisoft stands at a pivotal moment. Shadows brims with potential for multiple endings, hidden gear, and layered storytelling. A robust New Game Plus mode would cement it as one of the franchise’s most replayable entries.
While official news remains pending, Shadows offers tremendous replay value through branching stories, moral choices, and rare collectibles. Those determined to explore every secret will find countless reasons to revisit feudal Japan, whether or not New Game Plus arrives.
Players keeping watch for updates should remain hopeful. Ubisoft’s track record of post-launch support suggests that the story of Shadows has only begun. The possibility of New Game Plus remains alive—and with it, the promise of even greater adventures waiting beyond the shadows.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is Assassin’s Creed Shadows better than Valhalla?
Assassin’s Creed Shadows offers a deeper narrative, new mechanics set in feudal Japan, and refined stealth, which many fans consider a significant evolution over Valhalla’s Viking saga. Preferences vary depending on whether players prefer Japanese or Norse settings.
Q: Will AC Shadows have hidden blades?
Yes, Assassin’s Creed Shadows includes the iconic hidden blade, allowing silent assassinations and maintaining the signature Assassin style fans expect.
Q: What is the best katana in Assassin’s Creed Shadows?
The best katana in Shadows often depends on player builds, but certain legendary blades offer unique perks like faster combos, poison effects, or massive critical damage, making them highly sought after.
Q: Can you play God of War Valhalla without Ragnarok?
Yes, God of War Valhalla content is separate from Ragnarok’s main storyline, though playing Ragnarok provides deeper context for characters and events.
Q: Does Ragnarok have NG+?
God of War Ragnarok offers New Game Plus, letting players restart the adventure with all gear, abilities, and upgrades, while facing tougher enemies and new challenges.
Q: Does AC Valhalla have multiple endings?
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla has multiple endings influenced by choices, alliances, and major story decisions, giving players reason to explore different narrative paths.
Q: Can Loki pick up Mjolnir?
In Norse mythology and Marvel interpretations, Loki generally cannot wield Mjolnir due to unworthiness, although certain storylines bend the rules for dramatic effect.
Q: How to get Excalibur in Valhalla?
To acquire Excalibur in Valhalla, players must collect all tablet pieces scattered across England, then visit Myrddin’s Cave to claim the sword from the stone.
Q: How to get Thor’s armor?
Thor’s armor in Valhalla requires defeating the Daughters of Lerion, collecting Lerion’s daggers, and claiming Thor’s hammer, Mjolnir, after finishing specific endgame objectives.
Q: Is there anything inappropriate in AC Odyssey?
AC Odyssey includes mature themes, occasional nudity, and violent combat sequences, reflecting the series’ adult-oriented storytelling and historical settings.
Q: How long is Odyssey 100%?
Completing AC Odyssey to 100% often takes between 120–150 hours, including side quests, collectibles, DLC content, and full map exploration.
Q: Does AC Origins have NG+?
Assassin’s Creed Origins introduced New Game Plus, allowing players to replay the story while keeping levels, gear, and abilities, though enemies scale higher for increased challenge.
Q: Will there be another Assassin’s Creed game after Shadows?
Ubisoft plans to continue the Assassin’s Creed franchise after Shadows, with future entries already hinted through leaks and official statements about ongoing projects.
Q: Does Arkham Shadows have new Game Plus?
Details remain scarce, but speculation suggests Arkham Shadows could include New Game Plus, similar to previous Batman Arkham games, for added replay value.
Q: Will Assassin’s Creed Shadows have multiple endings?
Assassin’s Creed Shadows features multiple endings shaped by player choices, alliances, and moral decisions, encouraging replay for alternative outcomes.
Q: Is Assassin’s Creed Shadows going to have DLC?
Ubisoft typically supports major Assassin’s Creed titles with DLC, and developers have hinted that Shadows will receive expansions, new quests, and possibly new regions post-launch.
Q: Does Shadows of the Damned have new Game Plus?
Shadows of the Damned offers New Game Plus, letting players replay with previously unlocked weapons and upgrades, increasing replay value and challenge.
Q: Is Arkham Shadow a full game?
Arkham Shadow is designed as a full standalone game, building on the Batman Arkham universe with new narrative content and gameplay mechanics.
Q: How hard is knightmare difficulty?
Knightmare difficulty in the Arkham series pushes enemies to maximum aggression and damage, offering a significant challenge even for experienced players.
Q: Is AC Shadows longer than Valhalla?
Assassin’s Creed Shadows offers comparable length to Valhalla, with estimates suggesting 50–70 hours for the main game and over 100 hours for full completion, depending on playstyle.
Q: Can you romance in Assassin’s Creed Shadows?
Assassin’s Creed Shadows includes romance options, allowing players to build relationships with various characters, influencing certain story outcomes and dialogue.
Q: Will AC Shadows have the animus?
Yes, Assassin’s Creed Shadows continues the series tradition by featuring the Animus, connecting historical adventures to the modern-day narrative.
