It's time for another significant Assassin's Creed Valhalla update. As previously reported, this patch will force you to redownload the entire base game at a reduced file size. This is because update 1.4.1 restructures the game's data so that it runs better, and can better support future content — like the Dawn of Ragnarok expansion. As such, you're looking at a hefty 37GB download on PS5, and a whopping 65GB on PS4.
However, there's a lot more to this patch than the aforementioned restructuring. It adds new difficulty settings, as well the Assassin's Creed Crossover Stories, and support for the returning Yule Festival seasonal event (which apparently comes with new rewards). What's more, this update promises to fix another load of bugs and minor issues.
Assassin's Creed Valhalla Update 1.041 Patch Notes
Important: This update delivers a data restructure of Assassin's Creed® Valhalla, requiring a full reinstall of the game files, resulting in overall smaller file size, faster loading screen times and runtime performance, and improved world data streaming.
Assassin's Creed Crossover Stories
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla - A Fated Encounter:
- Terrible nightmares seemingly caused by a close ally sends Eivor to the Isle of Skye to investigate.
- Unlock all-new Assassin’s Creed Odyssey–themed rewards in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla by completing the story content.
- Access requirements: To play A Fated Encounter, you must reach Settlement Level 4 and have completed the quest A Wise Friend, where you help Valka establish herself in Ravensthorpe.
Please note that Assassin’s Creed Crossover Stories content will scale to match your progression and level.
Yule Festival
Added in-game support for the Yule Festival.
- The Yule Festival will be available from December 16, 2021 to January 6, 2022
- Partaking in the festivities will get you all-new items, including but not limited to a snowy beard & hair and settlement decoration.
Difficulty Settings Update
We added various sub-sections to the combat, stealth, and exploration options in the Gameplay tab. This will allow you to customize your combat and stealth experience in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla to your preference.
These are the Combat settings you can modify:
- Aim Assist (Full, Moderate, Light, Off)
- Level Scaling (Off, Default, Constant, Harder, Nightmarish)
- *NEW* Parry timing-window (400, 650, 800 ms)
- *NEW* Brush with Death timing-window (300, 400, 600 ms)
- *NEW* Brush with Death Duration (1, 1.5, 2, 2.5 sec)
These are the Stealth settings you can modify:
- Guaranteed Assassination (ON/OFF)
- *NEW* Detection escape (0.5, 1, 2 sec)
- *NEW* Detection escape while aiming (1, 2, 4 sec)
- *NEW* Search duration (50, 65, 80 sec)
- *NEW* Maximum enemies in search (2,3)
These are the Exploration settings you can modify:
- Closest Opportunity (ON/OFF)
- Icon Distance (OFF/ON)
- *NEW* Viewpoint Synchronization (ON/OFF)
- *NEW* Exploration Beams (Limited/Full)
- *NEW* Unguided Objectives (OFF/ON)
Note: Modifying any of these values will set the Stealth, Combat, or Exploration Difficulty to Custom and the game world will reload upon confirming these settings.
Stealth Improvements
Below you’ll find our first iteration of stealth improvements.
- Improved instances where NPCs could detect players when vision between the player and NPCs is obstructed.
- Reduced the hold time and speed restriction when blending with crowds.
- Resolved some issues that caused players to be instantly detected when they should not have been.
Miscellaneous
- Updated Quest Log Ordering: Quests will now be ordered based on the Recommended Power Level.
- New content pop-ups will no longer appear after completing the Rude Awakening quest.
- Adjusted balancing for melee damage scaling, ranged damage scaling, critical strike chance skills, and runes of finesse critical chance.
- Players will now be able to view up to 1200 runes in their inventory.
- Players will now be able to see up to 200 items in the transmog menu.
- Added a purchase celebration page to the Animus Store.
Main Quests, World Events, and Side Activities
Addressed:
- Basim followed Eivor everywhere if player used Fast travel in Puppets and Prisoners.
- The Daughter of Lerion encounter against Regan could not be started.
- Players couldn't locate Prey in the High Hall / The Legend of Beowulf to talk to Wulfhilda.
- Couldn't proceed with The Mysterious Berserker.
- Couldn't complete Bleeding the Leech as they could be falling through the floor.
- The Siege of Paris: Couldn't interact with Toka to start the quest Strangers Bearing Gifts.
- Wrath of the Druids: Barid and Ciara would not go to the coronation for Flann over Ireland.
Gameplay
Addressed:
- Numerous clipping issues.
- Numerous camera issues.
- Guided Arrow and Charged Shot skill could use same M&K mapping as Bow Stun Finisher.
- Shattered Destroyer's perk resets stack and doesn't enter cooldown if the enemy counters/attacks the player while still using the special attack.
- Helmet and facial hair could disappear when hooded while wearing the Fallen Hero gear.
- The seax on the ealdorman outfit could disappear randomly when equipping different weapons.
- Plague of Rats did higher damage than intended to some bosses.
- Missile reversal-ing a flash bomb could sometimes create an invisible barrier to be left behind, causing subsequent missiles to collide with an invisible wall.
- Mastery Challenge: Enemy NPCs could sometimes be seen to jump from their stations in the Wenlocan Outpost trial of the bear.
UI/HUD
Addressed:
- Numerous UI/HUD issues.
- Rations, Health, and Stamina Bars were missing when Abilities and Adrenaline option was set to OFF.
- Removed the Hide/Show Gear option from the cloak while a disguise is active.
- The adrenaline bar would not fill after the second chain assassination when hitting the shield or back of an enemy.
- Discovery Tour: Blood FX Settings did not save.
- Discovery Tour: First Person camera did not trigger when players toggled the Close Camera Option to ON.
- No interaction prompt for a key in the Boudicca Tomb.
Graphics, Animation, and Audio
Addressed:
- Numerous graphics, texture, animation, or lighting issues.
- Numerous sound issues.
- Tombs of the Fallen: Some sound effects were missing in some of the Tombs of the Fallen.
- Tombs of the Fallen: No VFX is played if the weight was put on a pressure plate post loading a manual save.
World
Addressed:
- Instances of misplaced or floating objects or textures.
- Instances where Eivor, NPCs, or the longship would get stuck.
Ubisoft Connect Challenges, Achievements & Trophies
Addressed:
- Pascal Lamb challenge wouldn't unlock under certain circumstances.
- Puca Ubisoft Connect Core Challenge could not be completed under certain circumstances.
- King’s Maker did not unlock automatically after conditions were met.
Performance and Stability
- Improved performance and stability.
- The game could freeze when disconnecting and reconnecting a controller while the wheel menu was open.
Are you still playing Assassin's Creed Valhalla? Maybe you'll be diving back in for this update? Watch where you're throwing that axe in the comments section below.
[source ubisoft.com]
Comments 19
Rather annoying as i only had around 25GB space free on PS5 so i would have to move or delete stuff for the update so i just ended up deleting Valhalla and then downloading it again as the update will be included in the games files then. So yeah its going to be around 4 before i play maybe 3 if i'm lucky. Happy i get some pace back though and better performance.
Last time i played this game was during the Yule Festival. Got so annoyed cause everytime you log in your character will be drunk. Funny premise that got old super quick.
@PenguinL Going to revisit as well. The orlog challenge kind of put me off pursuing the Platinum, but it's been almost a year, I think I'll give it another go!
Yep, just like @Jayslow I gave up on Valhalla during last year's Yule festival, when Ubisoft took about a month (!) to fix the "being drunk all the time" issue. Seeing this huge update, I am still annoyed on how the company sets its priorities these days.
Will try one more time, but am expecting a new round of game breaking bugs.
Currently, it takes 7 minutes from when you turn the game on until the time you can actually play... on a PS4 Pro... There is a 5 minute loading screen to go a River Raid, which is longer than the average play time for the original River Raid by Activision on the Atari 2600!!!!
@NielsNL The game is fairly stable nowadays, yes there's the odd issue here and there but that's the nature of huge open world games with constant updates being added, i think this latest update should make things smoother due to the game being redesigned where the updates are part of it rather then being piled on top.
@NoFaceBigFoot The loading times on PS4 are dreadful, thankfully they are really short on PS5 but on PS4 i hated switching regions due to the insane load between them what thankfully is a non issue on PS5.
Tsk AC... Got an on again off again thing with Odyssey. Taking me a million years to finish my 2nd run. And just when I got into it again and was considering Valhalla, Cyberpunk's whisked my attention away.
Recently "finished" the game and all the DLCs at 140 hours, switched to Outriders and finished that in 35, and was just about to choose the next game..something without big battles..after two intense games of fighting. But now I want to dive back in to AC, especially for the festival and crossover with Kassandra. Hand me that one handed sword...
I was waiting for this one! I heard Siege of Paris had some performance issues - hopefully this update takes care of that so I can dive in.
@WallyWest Glad to hear load times are resolved on PS5... if only I could get my hands on one.
Story Update is great news... AC games have become such a great bang for the buck, it is crazy the amount of content handed out.
Anything with Kass is a must play for me. But, I'll play it when I get Dawn of Ragnarök.
Ubi is on fire with AC.
I play Valhalla with no HUD whatsoever and rely on Synin to get my bearings. It looks absolutely gorgeous.
Ass creed oddesey also had a sizeable update yesterday.
It added the crossover story missions.
I just got the game on Black Friday, so this is very welcome.
I was on the fence a little, but this is the last single-player AC game.
It should be a very solid game with loads of content now.
Yep, still playing. 636 hrs and counting. Loving it! 😁👍
Just played through the crossover DLC. It was a nice chunk of additional content, and it was free! I only have a PS4, so the load times are still annoyingly long, but the file size reduction was much appreciated.
Good, Superman mode is still in the game. Haha
Who doesn't love collecting an item then instantly get sent rocketing across the sky faster than a speeding bullet? 😁
I dont have issues with the parry, but it is really nice to see a setting for adjusting the reaction time. I would actually like a setting like that for Kena: Bridge of Spirits. It's harder to perfect the parry timing in that game then any other I've played.
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