Assassin’s Creed Shadows and Avowed Launch Major Anniversary Updates

[00:00] Announcer: From Neural Newscast, this is Nerfed, where games, culture, and strategy intersect. [00:08] Adriana Costa: From Neural Newscast, I'm Adriana Costa. [00:14] Daniel Brooks: And I'm Daniel Brooks. [00:16] Adriana Costa: Nearly a year since we first stepped into feudal Japan with Assassin's Creed Shadows. [00:21] Adriana Costa: Ubisoft is marking the occasion with update 1.1.18, which part [00:26] Adriana Costa: which finally addresses one of the most persistent requests from the player base. [00:31] Adriana Costa: If you have the Advanced Parkour setting toggled on, [00:34] Adriana Costa: you now have access to a manual jump button, [00:37] Adriana Costa: a mechanic that returns from the earlier titles in the franchise. [00:41] Adriana Costa: It is a small change that fundamentally alters how players navigate the world, accompanied by a new detailed stat page for build analysis and improved critical hit visuals. [00:53] Daniel Brooks: The timing is interesting, Adriana, because this looks like the only major update on the Winter Roadmap before the game hits its official anniversary on March 20th. [01:00] Daniel Brooks: While fans are getting the jump button, there's a growing conversation about whether Shadows [01:05] Daniel Brooks: is getting the same level of long-term support we saw with Valhalla. [01:09] Daniel Brooks: We know the clause of Awaji expansion is coming to the Switch 2 on March 10th, but reports [01:14] Daniel Brooks: suggest Ubisoft recently scrapped a planned multiplayer DLC that would have concluded [01:18] Daniel Brooks: the season-pass narrative. [01:19] Daniel Brooks: It leaves the future of Shadows feeling a bit leaner than its predecessors, though rumors [01:24] Daniel Brooks: of a Black Flag remaster later this year are keeping the community on edge. [01:28] Adriana Costa: While Ubisoft is trimming back, Daniel, Obsidian is leaning in for the one-year anniversary [01:34] Adriana Costa: of Avowed. [01:35] Adriana Costa: Patch 2.0 just went live, and it is a massive expansion for those returning to the Living Lands. [01:41] Adriana Costa: The headliner is character variety. [01:44] Adriana Costa: Players can now choose to be dwarves, Orlins, or the towering Almawa. [01:48] Adriana Costa: Each comes with specific stat bonuses, like the Almawa, receiving a plus 2 to Might. [01:53] Adriana Costa: It adds a much-needed layer of replayability, especially with the introduction of New Game [01:58] Adriana Costa: Plus which lets you carry over your unlocked abilities and unique gear into a more challenging [02:03] Adriana Costa: version of the world. [02:04] Daniel Brooks: That new Game Plus mode introduces elemental modifiers for enemies, making them immune to certain damage types like fire or poison. [02:13] Daniel Brooks: Obsidian also added a quarterstaff weapon and custom difficulty sliders that let you fine-tune everything from merchant prices to the parry window. [02:21] Daniel Brooks: It is a robust way to keep a single-player RPG relevant a year after launch. [02:25] Daniel Brooks: However, the broader industry news isn't as celebratory. [02:30] Daniel Brooks: Ten Chambers, the studio behind Den of Wolves, just announced a significant restructuring [02:35] Daniel Brooks: that includes layoffs and the departure of several co-founders. [02:38] Daniel Brooks: It is a stark reminder of the volatility currently facing even established development teams. [02:44] Adriana Costa: From Neural Newscast, I'm Adriana Costa. [02:47] Daniel Brooks: And I'm Daniel Brooks. [02:49] Daniel Brooks: Join us again next time for more on the shifting landscape of global gaming and technology. [02:54] Daniel Brooks: Neural Newscast is AI-assisted, human-reviewed. [02:58] Daniel Brooks: View our AI transparency policy at neuralnewscast.com. [03:02] Announcer: This has been Nerfed on Neural Newscast, where games, culture, and strategy intersect. [03:08] Announcer: Neural Newscast uses artificial intelligence in content creation with human editorial review prior to publication. [03:15] Announcer: While we strive for factual, unbiased reporting, AI-assisted content may occasionally contain [03:21] Announcer: errors. Verify critical information with trusted sources. Learn more at neuralnewscast.com.