Ubisoft has outlined a packed Winter Roadmap for Assassin’s Creed Shadows, headlined by a manual jump option for parkour, a new in-depth stats page, and sharper critical-hit feedback arriving February 17, plus a community parkour challenge to test your finesse. In March, Switch 2 players get the Claws of Awaji expansion with a new region, fresh gear, a new faction and bosses, and over 10 hours of story and side content. The month caps off with first-anniversary streams and giveaways on March 20.
What’s dropping on February 17
- Full Manual Jump for Parkour: A precision-focused toggle for players who want complete control over their lines.
- Detailed Stats Page: Perfect for tuning builds and squeezing every drop of efficiency from your loadout.
- Critical Hit Visual Improvements: Clearer, more satisfying reads in the heat of combat.
- Community Parkour Challenge: Time to prove those rooftop routes aren’t just stylish—they’re fast.
Let’s break down what each update changes for your daily runs across feudal rooftops and how to get the most out of them.
Manual Jump: why it matters and how to enable it Assassin’s Creed has always walked the line between freedom and flow, and Manual Jump tips that balance firmly toward player agency. Instead of relying on contextual stick inputs, you’ll pick your moment and commit, landing where your timing and trajectory take you.
How to turn it on:
- Open gameplay settings.
- Look for Advanced Parkour Options.
- Toggle Manual Jump.
Why you’ll love it:
- Cleaner lines: Chain vaults, climbs, and leaps without fighting the auto-pathing.
- Risk–reward control: Harder to master, but you’ll discover shortcuts and speed routes only possible when you dictate the jump.
- Skill expression: Perfect for speedrunners, challenge-chasers, and anyone who plays with a “just one more try” mindset.
Training tips to get comfortable:
- Start on short gaps where a missed timing isn’t a death sentence.
- Count a rhythm: step, aim, jump—repeat—so your muscle memory syncs with the character’s momentum.
- Practice transitions: ledge-to-ledge hops, pole grabs after a leap, and corner pivots following a jump.
- Build a route you can lap in a minute or two to feel progress quickly.
Detailed Stats Page: a min-maxer’s playground If you’ve ever wondered what, exactly, your build is doing under the hood, the new stats view is your answer. Expect a clearer picture of how weapons, outfits, talents, and gear interact, making it easier to fine-tune your approach for stealth, burst damage, or sustained combat.
What to look for:
- Damage breakdowns: Compare base damage versus modifiers to understand where your power actually comes from.
- Crit and status math: Track critical chance and effect potency to see if stacking one stat pushes you into diminishing returns.
- Mobility and detection: See how armor weight, sound, and visibility affect infiltration so you can tailor a ghost build.
- Weapon swaps: Quickly gauge the real effect of moving from a fast light weapon to a heavier, high-impact option.
Build ideas to test on day one:
- The Silent Storm: High detection resistance, max crit on first hit, and tools that cover noise.
- The Ronin Breaker: Poise and stamina focus, favoring heavy attacks and guard breaks for boss fights.
- The Needle: Bleed or poison stacking with high mobility, leveraging crit visuals and swift disengages.
Critical-hit visual improvements: clarity in the chaos Combat feedback matters, especially when a single well-timed strike can end a duel. The visual pass on critical hits amplifies the “did that just pop?” moment into an unmistakable signal. You’ll read your momentum better, string finishers with confidence, and avoid overcommitting when a crit doesn’t land.
Practical advantages:
- Faster decision-making: Confirm a crit and instantly pivot to the next target.
- Cleaner stamina usage: Don’t blow resources without knowing if the payoff triggered.
- Tighter rhythm: Visual cues help you lock into timing windows for perfect counters.
Community Parkour Challenge: how to jump in The challenge is all about route mastery. Whether you’re competing for leaderboard glory or personal bests, the new Manual Jump setting turns every rooftop into a canvas for creativity.
How to approach it:
- Scout first: Walk the route slowly to map anchor points, drop-offs, and wall-run angles.
- Segment runs: Nail tough sections in isolation, then stitch them together.
- Record attempts: Review your lines to spot wasted steps or sloppy landings.
- Swap gear intelligently: Lightweight outfits may shave precious frames off your sprints.
Looking to March: Claws of Awaji on Switch 2 Launching March 10 for Switch 2 players, Claws of Awaji takes Shadows into a fresh region with new story beats and over 10 hours of questing and exploration. Expect a new weapon to master, new abilities to unlock, new outfits and legendary pieces to chase, and a hostile faction with bosses that demand smarter routing and resource management.
What this expansion means for your playstyle:
- Route diversity: New rooftops, alleys, and vertical playgrounds to exploit with Manual Jump.
- Meta shake-up: A new weapon and abilities can upend your favorite build—especially with the updated stats page to validate changes.
- Loot chase: Legendary gear invites experimentation; try hybrid stealth–assassin or bruiser infiltrator setups.
Preparation checklist before launch:
- Clear your quest log so you can dive straight into Awaji.
- Stock up on crafting mats and upgrade tokens to test new gear immediately.
- Practice boss fundamentals: dodge timings, stamina management, and stance swaps will pay off.
- Build two loadouts: one stealth-first, one combat-forward, then pivot based on early encounters in the new region.
First anniversary celebrations on March 20 Ubisoft plans livestreams and giveaways to mark Shadows’ first year. It’s the perfect moment to show off your parkour lines, swap build tips, and chase cosmetics or in-game goodies if rewards are on the table. Even if you’ve been away, this is a great excuse to return, respec with the new stats info, and sprint into the festivities with a refreshed toolkit.
Tips to get the most from the roadmap
- Start simple: Enable Manual Jump and rerun your favorite city block until it feels second nature.
- Validate your loadout: Open the stats page after each gear swap to see if the numbers back up your “feels better” hunch.
- Make micro-goals: Shave five seconds off a parkour loop, then five more. Small wins stack.
- Keep a lab set: Maintain a test build with flexible gear so you can pivot quickly for the challenge or the expansion.
- Share routes: The community parkour challenge thrives on creativity; posting your lines helps everyone level up.
Why this roadmap hits the right notes Assassin’s Creed is at its best when it rewards mastery without sacrificing accessibility. This update cadence nails that balance: Manual Jump elevates ceiling skill expression, the stats page demystifies progression for theorycrafters, and cleaner crit visuals tighten combat feedback for everyone. Then, just as players are finding their flow, Claws of Awaji arrives to remix the sandbox with new terrain, enemies, and toys.
If you’ve been waiting for a sign to return, this is it. Tune your build, lace up your silent sandals, and get ready to chart a sharper line across the rooftops. The winter push looks like the perfect on-ramp to a busy spring—and a fresh chapter for Shadows.
