How to start New Game+ in Assassin's Creed Shadows: Everything you need to know

The New Game+ in Assassin's Creed Shadows is finally here, and it’s perfect for anyone itching to revisit Feudal Japan without losing the hard-earned progress from their first run. Instead of starting over empty-handed, you’ll get to carry over your gear, allies, and upgrades while facing tougher enemies and fresh rewards.

For players who spent hours perfecting their builds, this is the mode that lets them truly test their mettle.

---

How to unlock and begin New Game+ in Assassin's Creed Shadows

Glimpse from the AC Shadows (Image via Ubisoft)

You can’t jump into New Game+ in Assassin's Creed Shadows right away, as it unlocks only after completing the main story. That means seeing the journeys of Naoe, Yasuke, and Junjiro through to the very end. Once the credits roll, head into the Memory Menu in the Animus, and you’ll see the New Game+ option ready to go.

There’s no extra requirement like difficulty settings — finish the story once, and the feature is there for you. It’s designed as a seamless continuation, so you won't be grinding your way back to where you were.

---

What progress carries over?

The best part about New Game+ in Assassin's Creed Shadows is how much of your previous run comes with you. Here’s what sticks:

• Skills and gear: Everything you’ve unlocked, starting from high-end weapons to late-game skills, carries straight into the new run.
• Allies: Any allies you’ve gathered remain by your side in NG+.
• Hideout progression: All the work you put into building and upgrading your hideout stays intact.

---

What’s different this time?

Even with your powered-up character, New Game+ in Assassin's Creed Shadows isn’t a casual victory lap. Enemies scale higher, their attacks hit harder, and the fights feel more intense. On top of the difficulty bump, Ubisoft has added unique rewards to keep the mode worthwhile:

• Whisper of Gold (Katana)
• Dragon’s Gold (Katana)

---

Can you replay New Game+ in Assassin's Creed Shadows more than once?

Yes, and that’s part of the appeal. You can run NG+ up to eight times, with each loop making enemies more challenging. It’s ideal for players chasing 100% completion or anyone who wants to see just how far their Shinobi or Samurai skills can go.

---

New achievements and trophies

For completionists, New Game+ in Assassin's Creed Shadows brings fresh milestones:

• Enjoy the Ride: Reach Level 80.
• Stars Unseen: Achieve Knowledge Rank 10.
• Worth its Wait: Obtain the Gold Katana and Gold Long Katana by finishing NG+.

---

Level cap and Knowledge Rank changes

Alongside NG+, the latest update boosts progression options:

• The level cap has increased from 60 to 80, introducing stronger foes with improved tactics.
• Knowledge Rank now extends to 9 and 10, unlocking new passives and mastery skills.
• The Forge can be upgraded to Level 4, allowing you to enhance all weapons and gear to match the new level cap.

---

Update details and download size

NG+ arrives with the game’s Title Update 1.0.7, which also packs in general fixes and optimizations. Here’s the patch size across platforms:

• PS5: 8.92 GB
• Xbox Series X|S: 19 GB
• Mac: 9 GB
• PC: 16 GB
• Steam: 9 GB

---

Check out: Assassin’s Creed Shadows Claws of Awaji DLC finally gets a release date