Assassin’s Creed Shadowswill be the 14th major installment in the series, and will continue its recent trend of post-launch support with already-confirmed DLC. This latest installment is largely standalone, like much of the series, not requiring you toplay any previousACgames beforeShadows. It does, however, pick up events after theend ofAssassin’s Creed Mirage, even if the two are only loosely connected. Investing inShadowsseems to promise regular new content as well, sincethere is already word of an upcoming DLC calledClaws of Awaji.
Despite the fact that there hasn’t been too much information released aboutClaws of Awaji,AC Shadows' upcoming DLC will likely be of interest to series fans, as it’s offering another new journey for new protagonists Naoe and Yasuke. It seems to be a rather robust new story, and is likely just the beginning ofShadows' post-launch support.Assassin’s Creed Valhallasaw great success with its many DLC expansions spread over the course of a couple years.
What Is Claws Of Awaji?
Know What To Expect From The New Island
Claws of Awajiwill allow you totravel to the mysterious new island Awaji beyond Osaka Bay. According toUbisoft’s website, it will be a new open-world region filled with ambushes from a deadly new faction called Sanzoku Ippa, forcing you to constantly be aware of your surroundings. The main storyline revolves around Naoe and Yasuke’s hunt for a local treasure.Claws of Awajiwill expandShadows' base game systems with the following:
Notably,the new weapon, the Bō, is specific to Naoe, and cannot be used in Yasuke’s kit. It seems likely that the latter may receive new weapons in future expansions, though nothing has been confirmed. The island is threatened by the new faction, so it will be up to Naoe and Yasuke to ensure its safety: “Hide from your trackers and outwit them, avoiding the traps and abmushes set by those deadly new foes, and hunt them down on your terms.”
Claws of Awajiis expected toadd more than 10 hours toAC Shadows' runtime, when counting its side quests.Shadows' main campaign is already quite long, thought to take players roughly 30–40 hours to complete, soClaws of Awajiappears to be a significant expansion.
Is Claws Of Awaji Included In Any Assassin’s Creed Bundles?
Gaining Access To The DLC Is Easier Than You Think
Those who pre-orderAssassin’s Creed Shadowswill automatically have free accessto the expansion once it is released. Anyone who hasn’t pre-ordered the newAssassin’s Creedgame will still be able to purchase the DLC separately once it is released, though no price has been set for it. This pre-order entitlement is also valid for the Digital Deluxe edition, and pre-ordering also allows access to the “Thrown to the Dogs” quest.
When Claws of Awaji Might Release
Based On Confirmations And Previous DLC
Despite being announced ahead ofAC Shadows' release,Claws of Awajiwill not be available at the base game’s launch, and there is currently no confirmation of a release date;the only release information Ubisoft has provided is a window of “later in 2025.“With previousAssassin’s Creedgames, the DLC releases varied from a few months to over a year after the base game launched. The most recent game to have an expansion wasValhalla, which received DLC six months after its release.
A similar time frame seems sensible forClaws of Awaji, putting sometime in fall 2025, but considering the base game was delayed multiple times, release plans for the DLC getting changed isn’t entirely out of the question. Regardless, to those already sold onAssassin’s Creed Shadows, an apparently robust DLC is something exciting to look forward to, and this whole expansion being included in the pre-order bonuses is comparatively generous.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Set during Japan’s Sengoku period, two distinct protagonists—Naoe, a shinobi, and Yasuke, a historical African samurai—must navigate political intrigue and violent clashes between the Assassins and Templars. Players can switch between stealthy, shadow-based gameplay with Naoe and Yasuke’s direct combat approach, exploring the duality of their missions in a beautifully rendered open world.
