Feudal Japan just got more exciting. Assassin’s Creed Shadows Title Update 1.1.4 releases today, October 28, 2025, bringing massive gameplay improvements that address community feedback while introducing fresh content. From the new Corrupted Castles activity to revolutionary parkour changes and legendary gold weapons, this patch transforms the experience. Here’s everything you need to know about download sizes, release times, and what’s changing.
Table of Contents
Assassin’s Creed Shadows Update 1.1.4 Release Schedule & Download Sizes
| Platform | Download Size | Release Time (Your Region) |
|---|---|---|
| Xbox Series X|S | 9.97 GB | 7:00 AM PT / 10:00 AM ET |
| PlayStation 5 | 3.44 GB | 2:00 PM UTC / 4:00 PM CEST |
| PC (Epic/Ubisoft) | 9.4 GB | 7:30 PM IST / 11:00 PM KST |
| Steam | 4.7 GB | 11:00 PM JST / 1:00 AM AEDT (Oct 29) |
| Mac | 9.0 GB | Global simultaneous release |
Exact Launch Time: October 28, 2025, at 7:00 AM PT / 10:00 AM ET / 2:00 PM UTC
Corrupted Castles: High-Level Endgame Content
The headlining feature is Corrupted Castles—a new Animus-themed activity that transforms previously completed castles into challenging endgame experiences. This addresses one of the community’s most frequent requests: meaningful reasons to revisit completed content.
How It Works:
- Castles you’ve already conquered can become “corrupted” with Animus anomalies
- Corrupted Samurai Daisho enemies patrol with heightened aggression and altered patterns
- Eliminate all corrupted enemies to unlock special chests containing high-tier Gear and Gold
- Available starting at level 30 after completing at least 3 castles
- Up to five corrupted castles appear per season on your map
This seasonal rotation ensures endgame content remains fresh rather than becoming stale farming routes. The Animus theme cleverly integrates sci-fi elements into the historical setting—something Assassin’s Creed has perfected across the franchise’s 200+ million copies sold.
Advanced Parkour: Freedom of Movement Unleashed
Ubisoft listened to parkour enthusiasts who felt restricted by invisible barriers. The new “Advanced Parkour” toggle in gameplay settings fundamentally changes how you navigate feudal Japan.
Key Changes:
Side & Back Ejects (Unrestricted): No more height limitations! Perform side and back ejects from any elevation. If a decent landing spot isn’t available, you’ll launch sideways or backward as far as possible without height restrictions.
Side Eject Down: Execute downward side ejects at sharp angles, maintaining proximity to your starting point with zero height gain—perfect for quick defensive repositioning.
Vertical Ledge Grab: Now works on non-standing objects like beams, lanterns, and decorative architecture. This opens creative traversal options previously impossible.
Manual Jump from Non-Standing Objects: Make shortcuts while running along rooftops or beams. Not a full manual jump, but enough to add stylistic flair and efficiency to your movement.
Directional Catch Ledge (Highly Requested!): Press toward the nearest ledge and tap Parkour Up to catch it from any height, preventing falls. Especially useful after ambitious grapple hook dismounts that slightly overshoot.
For players who loved the fluid parkour in earlier Assassin’s Creed titles, these improvements recapture that mechanical depth while leveraging modern technology.
New Gold Legendary Weapons
While the Gold Katana and Long Katana remain New Game+ exclusives, Update 1.1.4 introduces five new gold weapons earned through specific challenges:
| Weapon | Challenge |
|---|---|
| Tanto | Complete all Legendary Sumi-e |
| Bow | Complete all Horse Archery challenges |
| Kusarigama | Complete all Meditation challenges |
| Naginata | Complete all Kata challenges |
| Kanabo | Reach level 100 |
| Teppo | Reach Hideout level 13 |
These progression-based rewards encourage players to engage with diverse gameplay systems rather than simply grinding main missions. The Kanabo level 100 requirement gives dedicated players a prestigious trophy weapon showcasing their commitment.
Critical Bug Fixes That Matter
Beyond flashy new features, Update 1.1.4 addresses numerous frustrating issues:
Progression Blockers Resolved:
- “Snake in the Shrine” and “The Final Assault” crashes fixed
- Yagoro no longer appears as enemy after recruitment
- Master Samurai trophy now unlocks correctly
- Duplicate legendary items in New Game+ eliminated
Economy Improvements:
- Animus Anomalies XP increased by 100%
- Gold acquisition chance from Stable level 4 increased to 30%
- Itinerant Vendor gold purchase cost reduced by 50%
Quality of Life:
- Sakura Fox mount no longer uses horse sound effects
- Naoe’s eyes remain properly closed during cutscenes
- Teppo rifles no longer appear on characters’ backs during dramatic moments
- Demolished hideout buildings now correctly refund all upgrade costs
Anomalies System Adjustment
The weekly Anomalies rotation receives a significant rebalance. Infinite Reward tier keys drop from 400 to 100, encouraging players to activate different Projects once main rewards are claimed. This promotes variety rather than endless grinding of single activities.
A Corrupted Castle-related Anomaly appears in every weekly rotation, awarding Data Fragments and integrating the new activity into the existing progression ecosystem.
Why This Update Matters for Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Following the somewhat underwhelming Claws of Awaji DLC reception, Update 1.1.4 represents Ubisoft doubling down on core gameplay improvements. Rather than simply adding story content, they’re refining the mechanical foundation that defines the Assassin’s Creed Shadows experience.
The parkour changes alone justify the update for movement enthusiasts. Feudal Japan’s gorgeous architecture—from Kyoto’s temples to castle rooftops—becomes a true playground when artificial barriers disappear. Combined with the grappling hook, these improvements elevate traversal to franchise-best status.
Corrupted Castles addresses longevity concerns. Many players completed the main story and DLC but found little reason to continue playing. Seasonal endgame content with meaningful rewards provides that missing retention hook without forcing tedious grinding.
Platform-Specific Considerations
PlayStation 5’s significantly smaller 3.44 GB download compared to Xbox’s 9.97 GB likely reflects Sony’s superior compression technology. Steam’s 4.7 GB versus PC’s 9.4 GB suggests different patching architectures between platforms.
Regardless of platform, the update releases simultaneously worldwide—no staggered rollouts or regional delays. Console players can expect automatic downloads if rest mode is enabled; PC players should launch their respective clients to trigger the update.
What’s Next for Assassin’s Creed Shadows
With Update 1.1.4 focused on gameplay refinement, future updates will likely introduce additional story content, seasonal activities, and perhaps the much-requested photo mode improvements. The official Ubisoft support page should announce upcoming content roadmaps shortly.
The November 25th free story drop and second special collaboration mentioned in Ubisoft’s marketing suggest Shadows will follow the games-as-service model successfully implemented in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and Odyssey—regular content injections keeping communities engaged long-term.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Will the Advanced Parkour toggle affect stealth gameplay balance, making it too easy to escape detection?
The Advanced Parkour option is entirely optional, accessible through the gameplay menu for players who want maximum movement freedom. Purists can leave it disabled to maintain the original intended balance. However, removing parkour barriers actually increases risk in many scenarios—you might launch yourself into dangerous positions or misjudge distances without safety nets. Skilled players will master the new mechanics for stylish escapes, but beginners might find themselves in worse situations than before. The Directional Catch Ledge serves as a safety feature preventing accidental falls from overly ambitious maneuvers. Ultimately, stealth gameplay remains about intelligent positioning and enemy awareness rather than pure parkour ability, so the impact on balance should be minimal while significantly improving player expression.
