How to Change Seasons in Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Image via Ubisoft

Assassin's Creed Shadows features dynamic weather and seasonal systems, making the setting feel more immersive than ever. The four seasons—Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter—not only alter the looks of the area, but they also affect gaming mechanics, mission difficulty, and exploration.

However, the game does not fully describe how the seasonal cycle works, which causes confusion among many players. This guide explains all you need to know about How to Change Season in Assassin's Creed Shadows, including how they work, how to track seasonal progress, and how to switch seasons manually or automatically.

How Seasons Work in Assassins Creed Shadows

The seasonal system in Assassin's Creed Shadows is time-based, which means that each season lasts a defined period of time in-game before moving on to the next one. A season cycle consists of two major phases:

• Mid-Season Refresh: Updates places, NPCs, and factions while keeping the same season.

  
  

• Full-Season Transition: A new season begins, bringing fresh weather conditions and global changes.

How to Track Seasonal Progress

To track seasonal progress, use the following steps:

1. Open the world map.

   
   

2. Check out the season tracker (top-right corner):

• The current season is displayed as a compass-like icon.

• A white progress indicator displays how long before a mid-season refresh or a full-season change.

The progress bar begins at the top (N) and travels downward (S). A mid-season refresh occurs at the midway point, and when it hits the bottom, the season changes completely.

How to Change Seasons in Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Image via Ubisoft

Seasons can vary automatically as gameplay progresses or be manually modified at certain times.

Automatic Season Changes

A season automatically changes when:

• You Fast travel.

• You completed a mission.

• Your season tracker reaches full or half-filled status.

Manual Season Changes

To manually change the seasons, follow these steps:

1. Make sure your season progression bar is at least halfway or full.

2. Open the global map.

3. Look for the "Change Season" option on the season tracker.

4. Press and hold the designated button.

• PS5 and Xbox: Right D-Pad.

• PC: H Key.

Troubleshooting Season Changes

1. If you notice "Changing Seasons is Currently Unavailable", it suggests your season growth bar is not yet half-full or full.

2. Seasons do not change automatically unless you do a mission or fast travel.

3. If you wish to stay in a specific season, prevent automatic changes by not traveling quickly or fulfilling missions.

Final Tips

• Seasons could impact visibility, NPC behavior, and quest difficulty.

• If you desire more control over changes in the seasons, adjust your tasks accordingly.

• If you're fighting with long night cycles, see our Day-Night Cycle Guide for more details.

Mastering the seasonal system allows you to better plan missions, exploration, and gameplay in Assassin's Creed Shadows.