Nearly twelve months after its initial release, Ubisoft has finally given Assassin Creed Shadows players something they’ve been requesting since day one: the ability to jump on command. Title Update 1.1.8, which went live on February 17, 2026, reintroduces a manual jump mechanic alongside a suite of quality-of-life improvements that many feel should have been present from the beginning.
The Manual Jump: A Small Change, A Big Victory
For a franchise built around parkour and free-running, the absence of a dedicated jump button in Shadows has been a persistent point of frustration. Previously, jumping was context-sensitive, tied entirely to the automated parkour system—meaning players could only leap when the game decided they could.
With the new “Advanced Parkour” option enabled in settings, protagonists Naoe and Yasuke can now jump at any time using the Parkour Up button. As the patch notes explain, this makes “the world an even more dynamic playground for Parkour enthusiasts” . The feature restores a level of player agency that longtime fans of the series have come to expect, transforming traversal from a guided tour into genuine exploration.
More Than Just Jumping
The 1.1.8 update isn’t a one-trick pony. Ubisoft has packed it with several other meaningful additions:
- Detailed Stats Sheet: Players can now dive deep into their loadout statistics by pressing the right analog stick (or TAB on PC) in the Inventory Menu. This reveals exactly how gear, perks, and abilities interact, allowing for serious build optimization.
- Critical Hit Visual Improvements: Health bars now provide significantly clearer feedback when critical hits land, helping players gauge the effectiveness of their damage builds in real-time.
- New Animus Entry Point: A glitched entrance has appeared at the Hideout, offering quicker access to Projects, Exchange, and Vault features.
- Extensive Bug Fixes: The patch addresses numerous issues, from perk miscalculations (including fixing a “+50% Critical Chance” perk that only gave +5%) to quest progression blockers and platform-specific crashes.
A Community Celebration
To mark the occasion, Ubisoft has launched the #ACShadowsParkourChallenge, running until March 8. Players can submit unedited 60-second clips of their most creative parkour runs for a chance to win prizes like figurines and signed vinyl, with winners announced on March 16.
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What’s Next for Assassin Creed Shadows?
This update sets the stage for the Claws of Awaji expansion, which finally arrives on Nintendo Switch 2 on March 10, delivering fresh missions and narrative conclusion for Naoe and Yasuke. A one-year anniversary livestream follows on March 20, promising giveaways and news about the game’s future.
While some fans question why core features like manual jumping required a post-launch patch nearly a year later, the community’s response has been overwhelmingly positive. As one outlet put it, the update injects “an extra dose of delicious freedom” into the traversal system. Better late than never.