The short version
- Ubisoft released Assassin's Creed Valhalla Title Update 1.8.0, nicknamed "The Most Requested Update", on November 5 at 14:00 UTC (7:30 PM IST).
- The headline feature is New Game+, which lets you replay Eivor's story while keeping your gear and progression.
- On PS5 Pro, Valhalla now uses Sony's PSSR upscaling, and Quality Mode is now the default and runs at 60fps.
- It's out on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and PC. The download ranges from 5.26GB on PS5 to 15.02GB on Xbox Series X|S.
A big update for a six-year-old game
Valhalla launched in November 2020, alongside the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. A patch this size, this late, is unusual. The name says it all: New Game+ was one of the features fans asked for most, and the update brings it in alongside a long list of progression changes.
Ubisoft announced it in two places on November 5: a full patch notes page on Ubisoft's website, and a shorter Ubisoft News article.
New Game+: how to unlock it
To start New Game+, you first need to finish the Holy Day quest, the last quest in the Hamtunscire region. Ubisoft points out that this comes before the game's true ending, so you don't have to clear every story arc first.
In New Game+, you keep your progression, weapons and equipment, and enemies get tougher with each new run. Ubisoft has also added an optional progression mode for players who want to keep growing their character beyond the usual limits. The patch notes call it Extended Progression Mode, while the Ubisoft News article calls it Enhanced Progression Mode.
Image: Ubisoft
Gear, runes and a new resource
Most of the other changes give you more to do with your gear:
- Divine gear can now be upgraded to level 27, up from 13.
- A new resource, Mithril, is used for the highest upgrades and the new Rune Forge tier.
- Carbon, Nickel and Tungsten from Wealth Chests now give Platinum instead.
- The Rune Forge gets a new Superior tier, and more than 300 runes can now be engraved, for 450 silver each.
- A new stash in Ravensthorpe lets you store gear you aren't using.
- Many weapons, masteries and skill-tree perks have been rebalanced, including the Bearded Axe, Dagger, Scythe and Raven Mastery.
There are also two new achievements, tied to finishing a New Game+ run and fully upgrading a Divine item, plus bug fixes.
Image: Ubisoft
What changes on PS5 Pro
The PS5 Pro gets the most visible change. Ubisoft's patch notes say PSSR 2 support arrives on the console, improving image quality and performance. The Ubisoft News article describes it as "the new PSSR" and gives more detail:
| Mode | Platform | Frame rate |
|---|---|---|
| Quality Mode (now the default) | PS5 Pro | 60fps, with sharper 4K image quality |
| Low Energy Mode (new) | PS5 and PS5 Pro | 30fps |
PSSR is Sony's AI upscaler. The game renders at a lower resolution and the PS5 Pro rebuilds a sharper image, which is how Quality Mode can now hit 60fps. Our guide on what PSSR is explains how it works. Ubisoft hasn't said what resolution the game renders at before upscaling.
The new Low Energy Mode is aimed at players who want the console to draw less power, at the cost of half the frame rate.
Free outfit and new packs
Everyone who installs the update gets a free Naoe Master Assassin outfit, based on one of the two leads from Assassin's Creed Shadows. Ubisoft is also selling three new utility bundles and three premium character packs, called Return from Nilfheim, Muspelheim's Flight and Champion of Alfheim.
Image: Ubisoft
Ubisoft also added Valhalla's synchronization to the Animus Hub on the same day, next to Black Flag Resynced and Shadows.
Download sizes
| Platform | Update size |
|---|---|
| PlayStation 5 | 5.26GB |
| Steam | 7.8GB |
| Ubisoft Connect | 12.27GB |
| PlayStation 4 | 13.42GB |
| Xbox One | 13.8GB |
| Xbox Series X|S | 15.02GB |
What to do next
If you finished Valhalla years ago, load your old save and check whether you've completed the Holy Day quest. If you have, New Game+ should be ready. On PS5 Pro, the game now starts in Quality Mode at 60fps by default, so there's no setting to change before you play.
