It’s 2026, and the line between single-player epics and live-service shooters keeps getting blurrier. Even the sprawling, ninja-packed world of Assassin’s Creed Shadows hasn’t escaped the long arm of the battle pass. Sure, the game’s core is a massive historical sandbox full of stealth and swordplay, but tucked away in its menus is something called Projects — a moniker that might make you scratch your head at first. If you’ve been wondering what the heck these Projects are, how to actually kick them off, and what kind of goodies they’ll toss your way, you’ve come to the right place. Buckle up, because we’re about to break it all down in a way that won’t make you feel like you need a PhD in Animus technology.

What Exactly Are Projects?

Think of Projects as the Ubisoft spin on a classic battle pass — except you’re not grinding for V-Bucks or Apex Packs. In Assassin’s Creed Shadows, a Project is essentially a progression track that dishes out rewards like exotic weapons, stylish armour pieces, and other cosmetic trinkets. The long and short of it is: you move through tiers by earning a special currency called Data Fragments. Every new tier you reach unlocks something fresh, so the more Fragments you collect, the richer the haul.

But here’s the kicker — you don’t just earn Data Fragments by playing the game normally. They’re tied to a very specific type of side activity: Anomalies. These are Animus-flavoured quests that pop up in the world, asking you to do things like snap up a handful of collectibles or clear out a pesky enemy camp within a set zone. Once you knock out an Anomaly, you bag the Fragments, and those Fragments automatically goose your Project progress. It’s a neat little loop that rewards you for diving into these optional objectives, so don’t sleep on them if you’re after the shiniest loot.

How to Start Your First Project

If you’ve been poking around the pause menu and feel like you’re hunting for a needle in a haystack, here’s the lowdown. You won’t find a big glowing “Battle Pass” button anywhere. Instead, you need to cozy up to the Animus menu — the same hub that deals with all things digital and memory-related. The simplest path? Open the Objectives screen (where your quests live), then scoot your cursor up to the Animus section at the top of the screen. It’s subtle, but once you’re there, the magic happens.

Now, depending on your platform, you’ll need to hold a button to waltz into the Projects menu: press and hold Square on PlayStation, or X on Xbox. Boom — you’re greeted with your currently active Project, a visual track showing how many tiers you’ve crushed, and a tempting list of rewards waiting just out of reach. At this point, you can see what’s next on the checklist and decide which Anomaly quest to tackle. But the Project itself won’t force you to act. You’ve got to pick an Anomaly and start tracking it.

Tracking Anomalies and Racking Up Data Fragments

Once you’re inside the Animus menu, you’ll see a number of Anomalies dangling like low-hanging fruit. Simply choose the Anomaly that tickles your fancy and set it as your active objective. The game then slaps an objective marker on your map just like any other quest, so you won’t be wandering around Sengoku-era Japan hoping to stumble into the right spot by accident.

Head to the marked location and complete whatever task is thrown at you. It could be as simple as slicing through a batch of guards, or as zen as collecting a few shiny objects scattered around a shrine. The moment you finish, the game showers you with Data Fragments — think of them as the secret sauce that feeds your Project. You can then hop back into the Projects menu (same Animus route) to check if you’ve crossed the threshold into the next tier. If the bar’s full, the reward is yours, no extra hoops to jump through.

A Few Handy Tips to Keep the Ball Rolling

• Keep a weather eye on the Objectives board: Not all Anomalies are created equal. Some are quick and dirty, while others might send you on a mini-tour of a region. Pick the ones that fit your current vibe — if you’re in a hurry, go for the collect-a-thon types.

• Double-dip on exploration: Many Anomalies overlap with viewpoints, temples, or enemy camps you’d visit anyway. Syncing fast travel points while hunting Data Fragments is as sweet as peanut butter and chocolate.

• Check your Project often: The reward preview is your carrot on a stick. Seeing that legendary kusarigama just a couple of tiers away might give you the kick in the pants you need to mop up a few more Anomalies.

• You don’t need PlayStation Plus or Game Pass Core: Unlike proper online battle passes, Projects are entirely offline and solo-friendly. No FOMO pressure from seasonal timers, just pure PvE goodness.

• Anomalies respawn? Not exactly. The list of Anomalies is finite, but once you’ve cleared one, the next Project tier might ask for a new batch. So keep an eye out for fresh anomalies after you advance.

At the end of the day, the Projects system is Ubisoft’s way of sprinkling a little live-service seasoning onto a massive single-player meal. It’s a low-stakes, zero-cost way to earn some genuinely cool gear without ever feeling like a chore. Once you get the hang of navigating the Animus menu and treating Anomalies like your daily bread, you’ll wonder why you ever ignored that quiet little Projects tab. So go on, fire up Assassin’s Creed Shadows, pop open that Objectives screen, and let the Data Fragments rain down. Your next-tier reward is calling — and it might just be the katana you’ve been dreaming of.