Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is gearing up to drop a new update next week, and while the version number (1.4.1) doesn’t necessarily indicate it, it seems like it will be a fairly significant one. Not only is Ubisoft Montreal promising to restructure the game’s data, resulting in a smaller file size and faster loading, but they’re giving players more options to customize the game’s difficulty, stealth, and exploration. Following the 1.4.1 update, these options will be available…

While I usually just play on standard difficulty on most games, I admit, I do appreciate these kinds of granular options. I’m usually pretty good at combat, but suck at stealth, so I can make a challenge level that suits me specifically. You can also look forward to the following fixes to the game’s stealth mechanics…

  • Aim Assist (Full, Moderate, Light, Off)
  • Level Scaling (Off, Default, Constant, Harder, Nightmarish)
  • Parry timing-window (400, 650, 800 ms)
  • Brush with Death timing-window (300, 400, 600 ms)
  • Brush with Death Duration (1, 1.5, 2, 2.5 sec)

Stealth

  • Guaranteed Assassination (ON/OFF)
  • Detection escape (0.5, 1, 2 sec)
  • Detection escape while aiming (1, 2, 4 sec)
  • Search duration (50, 65, 80 sec)
  • Maximum enemies in search (2,3)

Exploration

  • Closest Opportunity (ON/OFF)
  • Icon Distance (OFF/ON)
  • Viewpoint Synchronization (ON/OFF)
  • Exploration Beams (Limited/Full)
  • Unguided Objectives (OFF/ON)

Between updating the game’s file system and adding these new options, it sure seems like Ubisoft is tidying up Assassin’s Creed Valhalla ahead of that 40-hour expansion rumored to be coming in early 2022.

  • Improved instances where NPCs detected 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.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is available now on PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Stadia, and Luna. Update 1.4.1 drops sometime next week (most likely on Tuesday).