Ubisoft announced Assassin’s Creed Mirage: Valley of Memory, a free major expansion coming to the 2023 stealth-focused entry in the long-running franchise. The teaser trailer dropped October 5, 2025 on Mirage’s two-year anniversary, showing protagonist Basim Ibn Ishaq and companion Dervis emerging from a valley into an ancient desert ruins. A full reveal arrives October 6 at 9 AM PT / 12 PM ET / 5 PM BST / 6 PM CEST, with the DLC adding a new story chapter and missions set in 9th century al-Ula, an oasis city in modern-day Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi Arabia Funding Controversy
Valley of Memory’s development was reportedly funded through a deal between Ubisoft and Savvy Games Group, a subsidiary of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF). The national wealth fund of Saudi Arabia has invested heavily in gaming as part of the country’s efforts to diversify income beyond oil and improve its global image. Savvy Games Group was part of a three-way bid to take Electronic Arts private for 55 billion dollars just last week, demonstrating the PIF’s aggressive gaming industry expansion.
Saudi Arabia has faced heavy international criticism for human rights abuses and was blamed for the 2018 murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The PIF’s involvement in entertainment and sports, including purchasing Newcastle United football club and launching the LIV Golf tour, represents ongoing attempts at sportswashing and reputation rehabilitation. Ubisoft declined to comment when asked by Eurogamer in January 2025 about the Saudi funding arrangement, though the company stated it maintained full creative control over the DLC content.
What the DLC Adds to Mirage
Valley of Memory introduces al-Ula as the second major open world zone in Assassin’s Creed Mirage, expanding beyond the base game’s medieval Baghdad setting. This makes Mirage the first single-city Assassin’s Creed since 2015’s Syndicate to receive an additional location through post-launch content. Al-Ula has been continuously inhabited since 5,000 BC, home to successive cultures including the Nabataeans who left stunning monolithic rock-cut buildings resembling their more famous cousins at Petra in Jordan.
The DLC includes a new story chapter following Basim’s journey beyond Baghdad, new missions taking advantage of al-Ula’s ancient architecture and desert environment, and gameplay improvements applying to both the base game and new location. The choice of al-Ula specifically makes sense from both historical and gameplay perspectives. The monumental rock-cut tombs and cliff faces provide primo climbing and tomb delving territory that plays to Assassin’s Creed’s environmental traversal strengths. Setting missions in 9th century al-Ula during the Islamic Golden Age maintains thematic consistency with Mirage’s Baghdad focus while expanding geographical scope.
Why This DLC Exists at All
The free Valley of Memory expansion was never part of Ubisoft’s original plans for Assassin’s Creed Mirage according to reports. The company intended to shift focus entirely to Assassin’s Creed Shadows after Mirage’s October 2023 launch, but that changed following meetings between Savvy Games and Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot. Guillemot appeared on stage at Saudi Arabia’s New Global Sport Conference discussing Ubisoft’s future and major franchises, suggesting the DLC emerged from business relationships cultivated at that level.
The timing of the free DLC announcement is strategically brilliant for Ubisoft. Assassin’s Creed Mirage joined Xbox Game Pass in August 2025, exposing the game to millions of subscription service users who might not have purchased it originally. Releasing substantial free story content right as Game Pass subscribers discover Mirage drives engagement and potentially converts them into paying customers for future Assassin’s Creed entries. Additionally, Assassin’s Creed Shadows launched in February 2025 to strong reviews and sales, creating renewed interest in the franchise that Ubisoft can capitalize on by bringing players back to Mirage with fresh content.
How This Compares to Past Mirage Updates
Assassin’s Creed Mirage previously received two major free updates after its October 2023 launch. The first added New Game Plus mode allowing players to restart Basim’s story with carried-over progress and abilities. The second introduced a permadeath mode for hardcore fans seeking brutal difficulty where any death permanently ends the run, plus minor gameplay improvements addressing community feedback. Valley of Memory represents a far more substantial content addition than those quality-of-life updates, adding an entirely new geographical zone with story missions rather than just new ways to experience existing content.
The expansion-level scope of Valley of Memory raises questions about whether Ubisoft originally planned to sell it as paid DLC before Saudi funding materialized. Adding a full separate open world zone with new story content almost feels like expansion pack territory according to PC Gamer’s Ted Litchfield. The development timeline verging into Shadows’ February 2025 success may have inspired Ubisoft to write it off as a goodwill gesture rather than trying to sell DLC for a two-year-old game while a new entry thrives commercially.
Mirage’s Return to Classic Assassin’s Creed
Assassin’s Creed Mirage deliberately positioned itself as a return to the franchise’s stealth-focused roots after years of massive open-world RPGs. The game launched in October 2023 as the thirteenth main-series entry, telling the origin story of Basim Ibn Ishaq from street thief in 9th century Baghdad to trained Hidden Ones assassin. Mirage stripped away the RPG mechanics and sprawling multi-region maps of Valhalla, Origins, and Odyssey, returning to tighter stealth gameplay, focused narrative, and a single beautifully realized city.
Critics and players responded positively to Mirage’s back-to-basics approach, though some reviews described it as a stepping stone rather than full return to form. PCG’s Morgan Park wrote that Mirage felt like preparation for the series properly reclaiming its stealth identity, which Shadows subsequently delivered with its Splinter Cell-inspired mechanics earning particular praise. The game originally started as a Valhalla expansion before being reworked into a standalone title to expand its scope, explaining some of the rough edges and reused systems from the Viking-era predecessor.
The Timing With Shadows’ Success
Assassin’s Creed Shadows launched February 2025 taking the franchise to Feudal Japan with dual protagonists: female ninja Fujibayashi Naoe and African samurai Yasuke. The game received strong reviews praising its refined stealth mechanics and successful execution of the long-requested Japanese setting. Shadows sold well commercially, validating Ubisoft’s decision to greenlight the project after years of fan demands for an Assassin’s Creed set in Japan.
Valley of Memory arriving eight months after Shadows’ launch creates interesting franchise dynamics. Rather than cannibalizing Shadows sales, the free Mirage DLC likely drives players back into the Assassin’s Creed ecosystem who might have skipped Shadows initially. Experiencing Basim’s expanded story in al-Ula could inspire Game Pass subscribers or lapsed fans to purchase Shadows, while Shadows players might double back to Mirage’s DLC for more Assassin’s Creed content. The cross-promotion benefits Ubisoft without requiring direct marketing spend beyond the DLC development itself.
What the Full Reveal Might Show
The October 6 full reveal will likely showcase gameplay footage exploring al-Ula’s ancient architecture, new assassination missions utilizing the desert environment, story cinematics explaining why Basim travels from Baghdad to the Arabian city, and details about the promised gameplay improvements. Fans want to know whether Valley of Memory runs independently like Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon or integrates into the main campaign as a side chapter accessible during specific story windows.
The reveal timing at 9 AM PT / 6 PM CEST suggests a livestream presentation rather than just a trailer drop, giving Ubisoft space to discuss development, show extended gameplay sequences, and potentially announce the DLC’s release date. Given that Ubisoft confirmed the expansion arrives before the end of 2025, the release could happen immediately after the reveal, in November coinciding with Black Friday promotions, or in December as holiday content. An immediate shadow drop would maximize surprise and capitalize on October 6’s announcement buzz.
Community Reaction to Saudi Funding
Reddit’s r/GamingLeaksAndRumours discussion highlighted mixed reactions to the Saudi Arabia funding revelation. Some users expressed discomfort with the Public Investment Fund’s involvement given Saudi Arabia’s human rights record and the Khashoggi assassination. Others argued that free content is free content regardless of who funded it, and that Ubisoft maintaining creative control prevents the DLC from becoming propaganda. The debate reflects broader gaming industry tensions about accepting money from controversial sources, particularly state-backed sovereign wealth funds pursuing strategic investments.
Savvy Games Group’s gaming investments include acquiring ESL Gaming and FACEIT for 1.5 billion dollars, partnering with Nintendo, and the attempted EA buyout. The PIF’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman drives the strategy as part of Saudi Vision 2030 economic diversification plans. Whether gamers should boycott content funded by such sources or separate art from financial backing remains contentious, with no clear consensus emerging from community discussions.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Assassin’s Creed Mirage Valley of Memory DLC release?
Ubisoft confirmed the DLC arrives before the end of 2025 but hasn’t announced a specific release date. The full reveal on October 6 at 9 AM PT will likely provide exact timing.
Is Valley of Memory free or paid DLC?
Valley of Memory is completely free for all Assassin’s Creed Mirage owners. The expansion was funded through a deal with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund rather than being sold separately.
What does the DLC add to Assassin’s Creed Mirage?
The expansion adds a new story chapter and missions set in 9th century al-Ula, an ancient Arabian city in modern-day Saudi Arabia. This creates a second major open world zone beyond Baghdad, plus gameplay improvements for the base game.
Why did Saudi Arabia fund Assassin’s Creed Mirage DLC?
Savvy Games Group, a subsidiary of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, funded the DLC as part of the country’s efforts to diversify income and improve its global image through entertainment investments. Ubisoft maintains full creative control over content.
Is Assassin’s Creed Mirage on Xbox Game Pass?
Yes, Assassin’s Creed Mirage joined Xbox Game Pass in August 2025. The Valley of Memory DLC will be available for free to Game Pass subscribers who have access to the base game.
When was Assassin’s Creed Mirage released?
Assassin’s Creed Mirage launched October 5, 2023 for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC. The Valley of Memory DLC announcement coincided with the game’s two-year anniversary.
What is al-Ula in Assassin’s Creed Mirage?
Al-Ula is an oasis city in modern-day Saudi Arabia that has been inhabited since 5,000 BC. The Valley of Memory DLC is set in 9th century al-Ula, featuring ancient Nabataean rock-cut architecture and desert environments.
Conclusion
Assassin’s Creed Mirage: Valley of Memory represents an unusual convergence of geopolitics, franchise strategy, and player goodwill. The Saudi-funded expansion adds substantial story content and a second open world location to a two-year-old game for free, capitalizing on Mirage’s recent Xbox Game Pass addition and Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ commercial success. Whether players can separate the DLC’s quality from its controversial funding source remains a personal decision, though Ubisoft’s assertion of maintaining creative control provides some reassurance. The October 6 full reveal will determine whether Valley of Memory justifies its expansion-scale scope or simply represents adequate free content funded through ethically questionable channels. For Mirage owners and Game Pass subscribers, at least there’s no financial barrier to experiencing Basim’s journey through ancient al-Ula’s monolithic ruins regardless of how that journey came to exist.