Ubisoft has officially released Title Update 1.8.0 for Assassin's Creed Valhalla, introducing the long requested New Game Plus mode, expanded equipment progression, additional customization options, and graphical improvements for PlayStation 5 Pro. Released on November 5, 2026, nearly 6 years after the game's original launch, the free update allows players to revisit Eivor's Viking adventure while retaining much of their character progression. According to Ubisoft's official patch notes, the release also introduces a new Mithril resource, increases Divine equipment upgrade levels from 13 to 27, and expands the Rune Forge with more than 300 engravable perks.
New Game Plus becomes available after completing the Holy Day quest, the final mission in the Hamtunscire region. Interestingly, Ubisoft allows players to access the mode before reaching the game's true ending, acknowledging the considerable length of Valhalla's main campaign. Each subsequent playthrough features progressively harder challenges, encouraging players to experiment with different combat builds and equipment combinations. Previously acquired gear and Books of Knowledge are replaced with Mithril rewards when discovered again, preventing duplicate items from accumulating while introducing a new resource for character progression. Mithril can also be obtained through the Niflheim, Mastery, and River Raid shops, allowing players to continue upgrading their equipment without repeatedly restarting the campaign.
One of the most significant improvements is the expansion of Divine quality equipment, previously associated with the Dawn of Ragnarok expansion. Platinum ingots, formerly exclusive to the DLC, can now be obtained by opening Wealth Chests that would otherwise contain Carbon, Nickel, or Tungsten during New Game Plus. This makes Divine equipment upgrades available to players who do not own the expansion. Ubisoft has also increased the maximum upgrade level for Divine gear from 13 to 27, with additional upgrades requiring Mithril. Combined with progressively harder New Game Plus playthroughs, the expanded progression system gives returning players considerably more opportunities to strengthen their preferred equipment.
The update introduces an optional Extended Progression Mode that changes how character Power is calculated. When enabled, gear upgrades and runes each contribute 1 Power point, while Masteries provide an additional point for every 5 skill points invested. This creates a more equipment focused progression experience, allowing weapon and armor customization to play a greater role in overall character strength. Ubisoft has also expanded the Rune Forge, introducing a Superior rune tier that requires Mithril to unlock. More than 300 additional engravable runes are available, including perks associated with equipment from the base game, downloadable expansions, and the Helix Store. Players who own the relevant weapons or armor sets can convert their perks into runes for 450 silver, significantly increasing the available customization combinations.
Additional improvements include a new Stash system in Ravensthorpe, allowing players to store unused weapons, armor, and runes instead of keeping everything in their active inventory. Ubisoft has also introduced a free Master Assassin outfit inspired by Naoe from Assassin's Creed Shadows, alongside 2 new achievements focused on completing New Game Plus and fully upgrading Divine equipment. Numerous combat balancing changes adjust weapon damage, dual wielding combinations, Mastery bonuses, and individual skill statistics to improve consistency across different character builds.
PlayStation 5 Pro owners receive additional graphical enhancements through PSSR 2, Sony's upgraded image reconstruction technology. Ubisoft confirms that Quality Mode now targets 60 FPS by default on PS5 Pro, while a new Low Energy Mode operates at 30 FPS on both PS5 and PS5 Pro. These improvements build upon the enhanced PSSR technology introduced for PlayStation 5 Pro, aiming to provide sharper image quality and improved visual stability. The update also introduces additional quality improvements, including bug fixes and store adjustments.
The release follows Ubisoft's recent franchise update, which confirmed that Assassin's Creed Valhalla has surpassed 40 million players worldwide. Update 1.8.0 is available for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.
Assassin's Creed Valhalla Update 1.8.0 Download Sizes
| Platform | Download Size |
|---|---|
| Ubisoft Connect | 12.27 GB |
| Steam | 7.8 GB |
| Xbox Series X and Series S | 15.02 GB |
| Xbox One | 13.8 GB |
| PlayStation 5 | 5.26 GB |
| PlayStation 4 | 13.42 GB |
Bringing New Game Plus to Assassin's Creed Valhalla nearly 6 years after launch demonstrates Ubisoft's willingness to revisit older games when there is sufficient community demand. However, it also raises questions about why such an essential replayability feature was absent for so long, particularly in an RPG with extensive character progression and hundreds of hours of available content.
The expanded Divine equipment system is arguably just as important as New Game Plus itself. Allowing players to access previously restricted upgrade materials without purchasing Dawn of Ragnarok is a positive decision, especially when combined with the additional rune customization and equipment progression systems. These changes provide meaningful reasons to revisit Valhalla beyond simply replaying its storyline.
The addition of PSSR 2 and improved PlayStation 5 Pro performance is also welcome, showing that older titles can continue benefiting from newer hardware technologies. However, the strongest aspect of this update is that Ubisoft has delivered its core gameplay improvements free of charge rather than packaging them into another paid expansion.
Ultimately, this is the kind of long term support that benefits both game preservation and consumer value. Players who already own Assassin's Creed Valhalla now have considerably more freedom to revisit and customize their experience without purchasing the game again.
Is the arrival of New Game Plus and expanded Divine Gear upgrades enough to convince you to return to Assassin's Creed Valhalla after 6 years, or should Ubisoft have introduced these features much earlier?
