New Assassin's Creed Origins Update Out Now, Here's What It Does

Assassin's Creed Origins launched last week to a positive critical reception, and now it's getting a new update. Version 1.03 is out now on PS4, Xbox One, and PC, introducing new photo mode features, some welcome visual and audio upgrades, and a bunch of gameplay tweaks.

First up, new effects have been added to the game's photo mode: you can now tweak the depth of field, exposure, temperature, tint, saturation, and noise of photos, as well as adding vignettes. That's on top of the open-world title having its looks enhanced, with the latest patch improving the transitions and level of detail in several cinematic sequences.

In terms of gameplay, the navigation of NPCs, the playable character, and animals is better than before; spawn locations have been tweaked, and the Kill Loot ability has been added for hand-to-hand combat. Additionally, this is the patch that adds HDR support for Xbox One X, Xbox One S, and PS4 Pro. Check out the full patch notes for the update--which weighs in at between 1.1 GB and 1.8 GB depending on your platform of choice--at the bottom of this article, via Ubisoft.

The patch, while not too substantial, does improve a game that was already pretty good. We awarded the game a 7/10 in our verdict: "While Assassin's Creed Origins reaches great heights in this new setting, it routinely runs into issues that bog down the overall experience," wrote Alessandro Fillari in our Assassin's Creed Origins review. "Technical issues make for an inconsistent experience and its new gameplay pillars wobble under the weight of its systems. But despite this, the world of Origins remains fresh and exciting to explore, which is a testament to the remarkable setting and compelling story. Assassin's Creed has undergone many changes in its long and storied history, and Origins feels like the first step in the start of a new journey. It has its fair share of problems, but the vision for its future is one worth pursuing." For more, check out all our Assassin's Creed Origins guides, tips, and walkthroughs.

Assassin's Creed Origins Update 1.03 Patch Notes

System

• Improved stability and performance
• Improved some visuals and looting issues on incapacitated or dead NPCs
• Fixed multiple loading issues when getting back to playable character after using Senu
• [PC] Fixed various issues in VRAM Meter
• [PC] Fixed various issues in multi-monitor mode

Graphics & Audio

• [Xbox One S][Xbox One X][PS4/PS4 Pro] Added HDR TV support
• [Xbox One X] Added 4K support on Xbox One X
• [Xbox One] Added Dolby Atmos support
• Added audio feedback on conflict warning
• Added audio feedback when sheathing and unsheathing weapons with Aya
• Added splashing sound when falling in water while mounted
• Integrated Japanese voice overs in Military points of interest in certain languages
• Fixed issue were dialogue lines could play twice
• [PC] Fixed geometric explosions and artifacts after applying options without restart of the game

World

• Improved some textures stretches and flickers
• Improved world visual when riding horse at high speed
• Improved multiple spawning positions for NPCs and animals
• Improved level of details in different locations
• Fixed multiple lighting issues
• Fixed some floating objects
• Fixed water visual close to ships at night
• Fixed looting issue on a chest inside Cyrene Barracks

Gameplay

• Added rumble and visual feedback to Charge Heavy Attack while mounted
• Allowed player to Assassinate an enemy while in fight with another group of enemies
• Allowed Kill Loot ability in bare handed combat
• Improved playable character, NPCs, and animal navigation
• Improved NPCs reactions
• Improved smoke bomb throwing usability
• Improved spawn locations when reloading checkpoint in the Cyrene region
• Improved controls on mount
• Balanced damages when executing an Overpower Chain Throw
• Prevented sandstorm from appearing over water
• Prevented performing Overpower ability on allies
• Prevented playable character from changing stance during dialogue scenes
• Fixed various issues with the playable character being stuck in overheat stance, in haystacks, or in the world geometry under certain circumstances
• Fixed an issue preventing players from picking up arrows in some circumstances
• Fixed an issue preventing players from interacting with loot bags dropped inside cages
• Fixed an issue where screen would briefly turn black when entering pause menu while in Stone Circle activity
• Fixed an issue where the thrown weapon could sometimes not hit the intended enemy when using the Overpower Chain Throw ability
• Fixed an issue with Critical Attack ability where playable character could sometimes not reach his target
• Fixed an issue with caged lions attacks not dealing any damage
• Fixed an issue with Ledge Assassination on sleeping enemies
• Fixed an issue with Sickle Swords, Heavy Blunt & Scepter Classes not able to transition from Charged Heavy Attack to Charged Light Attack
• Fixed visual effect on Sickle Sword's Charged Light Attack
• Fixed an issue where arrows could sometimes not hit a moving enemy when locked on him
• Fixed some inconsistencies when using the Parry ability with Sickle Swords
• Fixed weapon rotation when releasing a Charged Heavy Attack
• Fixed camera movement while being locked on to an enemy
• Fixed an issue where the playable character could lose health when parrying
• Fixed an issue with Captains' throwing knives not dealing damage
• Fixed an issue where player could not loot animals in water while being on ground
• Fixed an issue where playable character would leave shield stance upon throwing a Smoke Bomb following a Dash action
• Fixed an issue where the hidden blade would lose its upgrades upon respawning
• Fixed an issue preventing the predator bow to hit targets in water
• Fixed multiple issues with counterweights in Adorer of Thoth Tomb

Quests

• Improved various cinematic transitions
• Improved level of detail during several cinematic sequences
• Improved NPC behavior in the Amanai Cave during the "Water Rats" quest
• Improved cinematic during "The Lizard's Mask" quest
• Improved multiple spawned positions for NPCs and animals in quests
• Altered Present Day to prevent Leyla from taking unwanted paths back to the Animus
• Fixed issue with the interaction with NPCs the Cat and Mouse quest
• Fixed out of bound issues in Present Day
• Fixed an issue where enemies would enter into conflict with playable character during the walk and talk for "Old Times" quest
• Fixed an issue where Jeska would run after stray hippo's during "Smoke over water" quest
• Fixed an issue where cinematic would not end unless skipped during "Taste of Her Sting" quest
• Fixed an issue where Gennadios could stay stuck on horse during "Gennadios the Phylakitai" quest
• Fixed the cinematic trigger during the boss fight of "The Lizard's Mask" quest
• Fixed an issue where assassination celebration would appear prematurely during "The Battle of the Nile" quest
• Fixed an issue preventing the world from load properly during “The Final Weighing” quest
• Fixed an issue where Taharqa could stop moving during "The Scarab's Lies" quest
• Fixed an issue where Nikias would spawn far away from chariot after failing during "Wild Ride" quest
• Fixed an issue where the playable character could remain stuck in a dialogue scene in "What's Yours Is Mine" quest
• Fixed an issue where "Pompeius Magnus" quest would not appear in the "Completed" section of the Quest Log
• Fixed an issue that could cause an infinite loading after completing "May Amun Walk Beside You" quest
• Fixed an issue where the beggar could remain stuck while climbing a rock near Omorfi Villa in "A Dream of Ashes" quest
• Fixed issues with unwanted NPCs or animals appearing in cinematics camera shots
• Fixed an issue where Meketre could not enter in combat mode during "The Hungry River" quest
• Fixed an issue sometime preventing the interaction with Hotephres in "Shadya's Rest" quest
• Fixed an issue where playable character would light himself on fire when lighting some torches
• Fixed an issue that could prevent the final part of "Aya" quest from starting
• Fixed an issue that could prevent Nikias from mounting chariot during "Wild Ride" quest
• Fixed an issue that could prevent Bayek from interacting with chests while holding his gear during "The Scarab's Lies" quest
• Fixed an issue that could cause the hay bundles to fall out of world during "Abuse of Power" quest
• Fixed an issue where Bayek could be killed during a black screen transition when completing "The Scarab's lies" quest
• Fixed various issues preventing objectives from updating in various quests

Activities

• Increased Rewards in Hippodrome and Arena
• Fixed an issue where the recover prompt would disappear too fast in Hippodrome
• Fixed an issue with the Leaderboard not updating properly in the Arena or Hippodrome
• Fixed an issue that could prevent the player from progressing after the Duelist I encounter in the Arena
• Fixed the Arena's entry gate that could remain open

Photomode

• Implemented camera roll
• Implement multiple effect types (depth of field, exposure, vignette, temperature, tint, saturation, noise)
• Improved visual grid to follow 'Rule of Thirds' principle
• [PC] Improved M&K controls
• Disabled Photo Mode when in Stone Circles
• Disabled critical messages when in Photo Mode
• Disabled filter selection during composition mode
• Fixed issue where placing a waypoint on a photo thumbnail would display an infinite loading symbol

User Interface

• Added back button icon to locked menu pages
• Added category filters in the Gear page of the Store
• Added a completed activity panel to some activity locations
• Added indication of the currently equipped gear in the shop upgrade menu
• Added a hold gauge to 'Follow Road' input representation
• Improved the loot icon when purchasing a Heka Chest
• Updated the Tame Animal ability description in the Ability Tree menu
• Reduced text size in Arena wave display to prevent display issues in some languages
• Corrected the number of Completed Quests visible in its section of the Quest Log menu
• Fixed some critical message from appearing even if HUD is set to minimal
• Fixed health bar display when aiming at Ptolemaic Champions
• Fixed missing Quest Icon in Daily Quest
• Fixed issue preventing research folders from opening in Present Day menu
• Fixed material icons display when deploying Senu
• Fixed an issue where the combat feedback could remain visible after combat ended
• Fixed an issue where the "God Slayer" Ubisoft Club Action and Badge were not unlocked upon meeting the proper requirements
• Fixed an issue where world map would be desaturated if opened inside a tomb
• Fixed inconsistencies in crafted gear preview stats when item was already fully upgraded
• Fixed refresh issue where the Ancient Maps Pack remains present in the Store after purchasing any other Map
• Fixed last row of the Trinkets menu not being displayed correctly in inventory page of the menu
• Fixed several issues with suggested level for quests in the menu
• Fixed ellipsis glyph in Japanese, Korean, and Traditional Chinese fonts
• Fixed various visual and functionality, menu issues
• [PC] Added Very Low value for Clutter Graphics option
• [PC] Added tooltip images for all Graphics options
• [PC] Added Lock Sensitivity option
• [PC] Improved M&K controls in Eagle Mode and Stone Circles
• [PC] Improved warning feedback on key mapping repetition
• [PC] Removed the option to control quality level of Global Illumination
• [PC] Hid the playable character from the Performance Tool page
• [PC] Fixed overlapping button icons in the Block and Aim tutorial text when dual keys are assigned to these action
• [PC] Fixed the Tobii Eye Auto Pause function when Auto Pause Delay is set to 5/5