What to know
- The Black Tide (Black Tides) quest was added as part of the final free content update for Assassin’s Creed Shadows.
- You must complete the main story campaign featuring Naoe and Yasuke.
- You must also finish the post-launch quests A Critical Encounter and A Puzzlement.
- The Claws of Awaji DLC is not required to access Black Tide.
After the launch of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Ubisoft continued expanding the story with several free updates. The final major story addition is Black Tide, an endgame quest that serves as the concluding chapter for Naoe and Yasuke’s journey and helps connect the narrative to future Assassin’s Creed content.
All Black Tide quest prerequisites
| Requirement | Needed? |
|---|---|
| Complete Naoe and Yasuke’s main story | Yes |
| Complete A Critical Encounter | Yes |
| Complete A Puzzlement | Yes |
| Own Claws of Awaji DLC | No |
| Reach endgame progression | Yes |
| Update game to latest version | Yes |
According to Ubisoft’s update information, Black Tide becomes available only after completing three major requirements.
Finish the main story campaign
The first requirement is completing the core storyline involving both Naoe and Yasuke. Players must reach the game’s ending and conclude the primary narrative before Black Tide can appear in the quest log.
If you are still working through Shinbakufu targets, character story arcs, or final story missions, Black Tide will remain locked.
Complete A Critical Encounter
The second requirement is the post-launch quest A Critical Encounter. Ubisoft specifically lists this mission as mandatory for unlocking Black Tide.
This quest was added after launch and is separate from the original campaign. Make sure it shows as completed in your quest log before looking for Black Tide.
Complete A Puzzlement
The final prerequisite is A Puzzlement, another free post-launch questline. Like A Critical Encounter, it must be completed before the game allows access to the Black Tide story mission.
Once all three requirements are fulfilled, the new quest should become available automatically.
How to unlock Black Tide step-by-step
Complete the entire main story campaign for Naoe and Yasuke. Finish the post-launch quest A Critical Encounter. Finish the post-launch quest A Puzzlement.
Install the latest game update containing Black Tide (Update 1.1.11 or later).
Return to the game and check your available story quests. Black Tide should now appear as an endgame mission.
What happens in Black Tide?
Black Tide introduces two elite Templars known as the Black Cross, who arrive in Japan to hunt Naoe and Yasuke. The quest acts as the final free story chapter for Assassin’s Creed Shadows and provides what Ubisoft has described as the game’s intended concluding narrative.
The story focuses on preventing the Black Cross from achieving their secret objective while surviving a final confrontation with the Templar Order.
Black Tide rewards and unlocks
| Reward Type | Details |
|---|---|
| Story Content | Final narrative chapter for Naoe and Yasuke |
| Lore Expansion | Connects Shadows to future Assassin’s Creed content |
| Endgame Progression | Unlocks additional post-story activities |
| Narrative Conclusion | Provides the game’s final ending sequence |
Why Black Tide is worth completing
For players who finished Assassin’s Creed Shadows before the update arrived, Black Tide serves as an epilogue that expands the ending and offers one last major adventure with both protagonists. It also introduces important Templar-related story developments that help bridge the gap toward upcoming Assassin’s Creed releases.
