Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora received its biggest update yet on December 5, 2025, adding third-person perspective and New Game Plus mode to Ubisoft’s open-world action game nearly a year after launch. Title Update 2.0 is completely free for all players on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, and Ubisoft Store. The third-person camera was the most requested feature since the game launched in December 2023, with many fans arguing the game should have included it from day one. The update arrives two weeks before the From the Ashes expansion launches on December 19, timed to coincide with Avatar: Fire and Ash hitting theaters.
Third-Person Changes Everything
Players can now experience Pandora from an over-the-shoulder perspective that shows their Na’vi character navigating the alien world. Switching between first-person and third-person is seamless, requiring just a button press: hold the touchpad on PlayStation 5, press the View button on Xbox Series X and S, or hit J on PC keyboard. The third-person camera fundamentally changes how the game feels, making traversal more fluid and combat more tactical by giving players better spatial awareness of their surroundings and enemy positions.
Director Ao O’riel and game designer Amandine Lauer explained to Polygon that creating third-person mode was significantly more work than just pulling the camera back. The team had to redesign animations, adjust how weapons feel and sound, modify stealth mechanics, and ensure the Na’vi character moves convincingly when players can see every detail of their body language. The Sarentu character from the base game needed to maintain innocence and naivety through movement, while the From the Ashes expansion protagonist So’lek required animations reflecting his experience as a hardened warrior seeking revenge.
New Game Plus Details
New Game Plus allows players to replay the main story while keeping all gear, skills, and upgrades from their completed playthrough. The mode adds a new skill tree for the Ikran flying mount, higher-level gear to collect, and significantly tougher enemies that require mastery of the game’s systems to defeat. To access New Game Plus, players must load a save file where they’ve completed the final mission Last Strike, then select the New Game Plus option from the main menu and choose which save slot to use for the new playthrough.
This mode addresses one of the common criticisms of the base game, which became relatively easy once players fully upgraded their skills and weapons. New Game Plus provides a reason to replay the story with meaningful challenge increases and new rewards to chase. The inclusion of a new skill tree specifically for the Ikran suggests Ubisoft wants players to engage more deeply with the flying mechanics, which were underutilized in the original campaign due to limited upgrade options.
Additional Changes and Fixes
Title Update 2.0 includes improvements to Na’vi language accuracy throughout the game. The most notable change is renaming the character Etu to Itu to reflect correct spelling and pronunciation. Ubisoft also fixed missing landmarks on the map, addressed various minor bugs, and added NVIDIA DLSS 4 and AMD FSR 4 upscaling options for PC players looking to optimize performance and visual quality. The patch notes acknowledge several known issues the team is actively investigating, including problems with certain missions, visual glitches, and progression blockers that will be addressed in future updates.
Ubisoft’s commitment to supporting Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora nearly a year after launch has surprised many players accustomed to the publisher abandoning games that underperform commercially. The game didn’t set sales records at launch, but Ubisoft continues investing in free updates and paid expansions rather than cutting losses and moving on. This level of post-launch support for a single-player game without live service monetization is increasingly rare in the modern gaming landscape.
Why This Matters
The addition of third-person mode removes one of the biggest barriers preventing potential players from trying Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora. Many gamers prefer third-person perspective for open-world games, particularly when playing as a unique character in a fantastical setting where seeing your avatar enhances immersion. Reddit comments on the update reveal numerous players stating they bought the game but waited to play until third-person mode arrived, or that they’re now willing to purchase it specifically because of this feature.
The timing ties directly to Avatar: Fire and Ash releasing in theaters and the From the Ashes expansion launching December 19. Ubisoft is betting that renewed interest in the Avatar franchise from the film will drive new players to try Frontiers of Pandora, and that existing players will return for New Game Plus and the expansion. The strategy makes sense given how closely the game and films are connected narratively and thematically. Whether this translates to significant sales increases remains to be seen, but providing free features alongside paid DLC shows Ubisoft is committed to the game’s long-term success.
FAQs
When did Avatar Frontiers of Pandora get third-person mode?
Third-person mode was added on December 5, 2025 as part of Title Update 2.0. The feature is free for all players on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, and Ubisoft Store.
How do you switch to third-person in Avatar Frontiers of Pandora?
Hold the touchpad on PlayStation 5, press the View button on Xbox Series X and S, or press J on PC keyboard. You can switch between first-person and third-person perspectives seamlessly at any time during gameplay.
What is New Game Plus in Avatar Frontiers of Pandora?
New Game Plus lets players replay the main story while keeping all gear, skills, and upgrades from a completed playthrough. It adds a new skill tree for the Ikran flying mount, higher-level gear, and tougher enemies that require mastery of game systems.
Do I need to buy the expansion to get third-person mode?
No. Third-person mode and New Game Plus are completely free for all players as part of Title Update 2.0. The From the Ashes expansion launching December 19 is a separate paid DLC.
Can you play the DLC in third-person?
Yes, though there’s some confusion in community discussions. The From the Ashes expansion defaults to third-person and heavily features the perspective, though players should be able to switch between camera modes like in the base game.
Is Avatar Frontiers of Pandora worth playing now?
If third-person perspective was your main concern, definitely worth reconsidering. The addition of third-person mode, New Game Plus, improved Na’vi language accuracy, and various fixes address many of the criticisms from launch.
What other improvements came in Update 2.0?
Update 2.0 added NVIDIA DLSS 4 and AMD FSR 4 support for PC, improved Na’vi language accuracy (including renaming Etu to Itu), fixed missing map landmarks, and addressed various bugs. Ubisoft is still investigating several known issues.
Conclusion
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora’s Title Update 2.0 proves that Ubisoft is willing to listen to player feedback and invest resources into improving games post-launch, even for single-player titles without live service hooks. Adding third-person mode a year after release is unusual but shows the publisher understands that missing features can prevent players from engaging with otherwise solid games. The timing alongside Avatar: Fire and Ash in theaters and the From the Ashes expansion creates a perfect opportunity for both new and returning players to experience Pandora. Whether this level of support continues long-term depends on how well the expansion performs, but for now, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is a much better game than it was at launch, and that’s worth celebrating even if it took Ubisoft a year to get there.