Ubisoft Confirms No Second Major Expansion for Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Ubisoft has officially confirmed that it will not be releasing a second major expansion for Assassin’s Creed Shadows. This decision marks a significant departure from the franchise’s established post-launch support model, where multiple expansions have been the norm for major titles.
The game’s first, and now only, major expansion, Claws of Awaji, launched in September. Initially described as the first part of the game’s season pass, its status shifted when Ubisoft delayed Shadows’ release from November 2024 to February 2025. As a gesture of goodwill for the delay, all pre-order customers were gifted Claws of Awaji for free. However, fans had anticipated a subsequent expansion, following the precedent set by previous Assassin’s Creed games.
A Shift in Post-Launch Strategy
Associate game director Simon Lemay-Comtois addressed the future of Shadows’ post-launch content in a recent interview. “As of now, at this moment for Year Two, there is no expansion on the size of Awaji that is planned,” Lemay-Comtois stated. He did note that Ubisoft has historically changed plans to produce more content than initially envisioned, citing the Assassin’s Creed Mirage DLC as an example. However, for Shadows, a second large expansion appears unlikely, with no indication of plans extending into a potential Year Three.
Lemay-Comtois further explained that while Ubisoft is still working on supporting the game, the focus will shift away from large-scale DLCs. “We’re still working on content for post-launch and supporting it, but it’s not a full-on DLC the way a season pass would have had in the previous years,” he said, confirming smaller additions are expected throughout 2026.
Reasons Behind the Decision
The change in strategy is attributed to several factors, including the game’s initial reception and technological challenges during development. Lemay-Comtois suggested that the team needed to prioritize immediate fixes and fan-requested features following the game’s launch. “I think with Shadows, we had a big jump in generations. The engine work that we had to do on Shadows took a lot of time and a lot of our resources. So the planning for the post launch was not really clear as soon as it would have been on another [game] where the technology was more stable and well known.”
He also admitted that development started late, and the plan for post-launch content had to adapt significantly after the release date was pushed back. This led to a more reactive approach, focusing on smaller, impactful updates rather than extensive expansions.
What to Expect in 2026
For 2026, players can expect updates that are smaller than a full DLC but potentially more substantial than minor patches. Lemay-Comtois referenced the recent free update, which included a new story quest, an Attack on Titan crossover, and an Isu Easter egg, as a benchmark for the type of content to anticipate. “At minimum this size,” he emphasized.
Ubisoft is treating Shadows as an experimental case, observing community reaction to smaller, more frequent content drops to inform future projects. This approach contrasts sharply with the multi-expansion model seen in titles like Assassin’s Creed Origins, Odyssey, and Valhalla.
While Ubisoft Quebec, the lead developer, is reportedly already working on new Assassin’s Creed projects, including a previously rumored post-Civil War setting and the upcoming Assassin’s Creed Codename Hexe, the focus for Shadows appears to be on refining the existing experience with smaller, targeted updates.
This story was based on reporting from IGN. Read the full report here.
