Valhalla's New Game+ update explained: unlock requirements, Mithril and a reason to return

Assassin's Creed Valhalla now has New Game+, and you do not have to finish every remaining story thread to unlock it. Ubisoft's free Title Update 1.8.0 arrived on 5 November 2026. Complete Holy Day, the final quest in Hamtunscire, and you can begin another run with progression carried over.

For returning players, there is a second reason to reinstall: several of the new progression and equipment systems work without starting again. If the thought of replaying Eivor's journey appeals less than improving an existing character, the patch still gives you something to investigate.

Ubisoft's full patch notes cover PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One. Download sizes vary by platform, including 5.26GB on PS5, 15.02GB on Xbox Series X|S, 12.27GB through Ubisoft Connect and 7.8GB on Steam.

New Game+ has a specific starting point

Holy Day is the condition to check on an old save. Ubisoft explicitly notes that it falls before the game's true ending, allowing players to begin New Game+ a little earlier in a long adventure.

Each subsequent run increases the challenge. In the developer interview on Xbox Wire, lead game designer David Larouche describes the aim as giving an endgame character room to keep improving. That explains why the update changes gear and runes alongside adding a replay option.

It also makes the choice more personal than simply asking whether you finished the game. A player who wants to revisit the story with an established character has a clear reason to start a run. Someone mainly interested in adjusting equipment can look at the new endgame options first.

Old rewards get a new use

Collecting a duplicate piece of gear or interacting with an already-owned Book of Knowledge in New Game+ now awards Mithril. This new resource feeds the equipment upgrades, rather than leaving those familiar discoveries without a purpose on another journey.

There are other sources of Mithril in Niflheim, Mastery and River Raid shops. That matters for players continuing an existing endgame save: the material is not limited to finding duplicates during a restart.

Ubisoft's update overview says Divine gear can now reach upgrade level 27, raised from 13. Divine quality is also available without owning Dawn of Ragnarok. Check your existing equipment before assuming this progression path requires buying that expansion.

Your build can contribute to your Power score

The optional Extended Progression Mode brings gear upgrades, runes and Masteries into the Power calculation. In the patch notes, Ubisoft specifies one Power point for gear upgrades and runes, with Masteries increasing Power every five skill points.

This gives equipment investment a more explicit role in the number used to represent Eivor's strength. It is a setting to consider alongside your build, rather than a requirement for every returning player.

The Rune Forge has more room for experimentation too. Runes can be upgraded through a menu tab, with the new Superior tier using Mithril. More than 300 engravable runes expand the available perk combinations. You still need to acquire the relevant weapon or complete armour set before engraving its perk; the update does not simply hand over every possible combination.

A stash in Ravensthorpe can hold gear and runes from your inventory. Larouche says the progression additions are available without New Game+, so you can sort out a crowded inventory and examine your options before committing to another campaign.

PS5 Pro gets a separate visual upgrade

The PS5 Pro changes are distinct from the gameplay additions. In Ubisoft's PlayStation Blog interview, engineering studio manager Priscilla Nguyen says upgraded PSSR allows Quality mode at 60fps while improving 4K image quality.

Those are Ubisoft's technical claims, rather than results from our own performance testing. The PSSR improvement is specific to PS5 Pro; New Game+ does not require that console.

If you are returning on another platform, the useful first checks remain your Holy Day quest status, your current equipment and whether you want the optional progression mode enabled. You can make those decisions on the save you already have before deciding to see the opening hours again.

Cover screenshot: Ubisoft, supplied with its official Xbox Wire update article.