All new content in Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced adds up to roughly six hours of brand new story-driven material on top of everything from the 2013 original. Ubisoft rebuilt the whole game from scratch on the latest Anvil engine and packed in new quests, new characters, new mechanics, and new side activities. Whether you’re a returning fan or new to Edward Kenway’s story, there’s a lot here that wasn’t there before. This guide covers every new addition so you know exactly what to look out for.
TL;DR — All New Content at a Glance
- Around six hours of new story content added across quests, missions, and cutscenes
- New endgame chapter — A World Without Gold — with eight missions
- Three brand new Naval Officer questlines with ship upgrades as rewards
- New side quests for Blackbeard, Stede Bonnet, and Bernard
- Four optional Animus Rifts with narrative “what if” scenarios
- Rope Dart unlocked earlier — from Sequence 3 instead of Sequence 11
- Two new pets — Soot the Cat and Albert the Monkey
- Ten new sea shanties, including one from Woodkid
- Crouch button, visibility meter, and no more instant stealth fail states
- New Hideout upgrades, plantation stories, island expansions, and more
Is Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced a Remake or a Remaster?
It’s a full remake. Ubisoft Singapore rebuilt the entire game from the ground up on the newest version of the Anvil engine — the same engine family used in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, featuring ray-traced lighting, micropolygon rendering, and modernized water simulation. Every system, every asset, and every mechanic has been rebuilt from scratch. That’s why so much new content was possible to add. This isn’t just a resolution bump — it’s a completely new version of the game underneath the familiar story. Loading screens when entering major cities have also been removed entirely.
For a sense of how long all this new content takes, check our how long to beat guide for Black Flag Resynced.
New Endgame Chapter — A World Without Gold
This is the biggest new addition in the whole game. A World Without Gold is an eight-mission story chapter that unlocks after you complete Everything Is Permitted in Sequence 11. Once you exit the Assassin Compound with Anne, head to the Great Inagua tavern and look for the quest marker called That Bastard Maynard.
The chapter follows Edward hunting down Robert Maynard, a notorious pirate hunter, and ties directly into Blackbeard’s story. It’s a proper narrative expansion — new missions, new cutscenes, new dialogue recorded with Edward’s original voice actor Matt Ryan — and it acts as an emotional finale that the 2013 game never had. It also introduces the third Naval Officer, Tobias “Deadman” Smith, as part of its storyline.
This chapter alone accounts for a significant chunk of the new six hours of content. Don’t skip it.
New Naval Officer Questlines
Three brand new officers can be recruited for the Jackdaw in Resynced, each with their own questline and ship ability. None of them existed in the original game. Officer Quests unlock after you complete This Old Cove in Sequence 4, when Edward takes Great Inagua as his hideout. Completing the early missions of each questline recruits the officer and unlocks their ability — later missions are bonus story content with extra rewards. For the full mission-by-mission breakdown, see our Officer Quests walkthrough.
Lucy Baldwin — Perfect Brace
Lucy becomes the Jackdaw’s Shipwright. You unlock her through the quest A Proper Shipwright, found west of Great Inagua at Salt Key Bank. Her ship ability is Perfect Brace, which massively reduces incoming damage if you press the brace button right before impact. This changes how the harder naval battles play out. Her full questline also rewards Baldwin’s Golden Pistols, a rare firearm with high range and a fast draw speed.
The Padre (Abel Galvão) — Ram Dash
The Padre, whose full name is Abel Galvão, is a quiet, reformed fighter who joins the crew through the quest A Second Chance, found southeast of Great Inagua at Caracol. His ship ability is Ram Dash — a charged forward ram that deals enormous damage on impact and can sink smaller ships in a single hit. Ram Dash recharges by dealing damage with your ship’s weapons. His completed questline also rewards the Small Goblet trinket, which increases healing from food, drink, and remedies.
Tobias “Deadman” Smith — Extra Salvo and Cohort Mortar
Deadman is tied exclusively to the A World Without Gold chapter and only becomes available after Sequence 11. You also need Lucy and the Padre already on board before his recruitment unlocks. He is formally recruited during It’s A Start, the fourth quest in the A World Without Gold chain. His first ability, Extra Salvo, adds a second broadside cannon volley to every attack — effectively close to doubling your broadside damage. Once recruited, his personal Officer Quest No Box Dark Enough becomes available, and completing his full questline unlocks the Deadman’s Cohort Mortar, a tighter and more precise mortar pattern that fires a continuous stream for hitting clustered ships.
Recruiting all five officers (including Adéwalé and Anne Bonny who join automatically through the main story) unlocks the All Hands on Deck trophy and achievement. See our fleet guide and ship upgrade guide to get the most out of your crew.
New Side Quests
Alongside the officer missions, Resynced adds three standalone side quests that weren’t in the original game at all.
Art Lover (Bernard’s Collection Quest)
This quest unlocks automatically at the start of Sequence 4 when you take Great Inagua. Bernard, the manor’s butler, asks Edward to track down 30 art pieces and restore the lost collection. Completing it earns you an exclusive outfit. It’s a good reason to explore the open world beyond what the main missions ask of you.
Blackbeard’s Treasure
This one starts automatically in Sequence 8 after you complete Do Not Go Gently. Reading Blackbeard’s map kicks off a dedicated treasure hunt that serves as an emotional send-off for Edward Thatch. Our Blackbeard treasure map guide covers the full route and reward.
Captain Stede Bonnet
This quest unlocks around Sequence 9 after you complete Marooned. Edward receives a letter from Stede asking him to meet on Mystery Island. The 2013 game left Stede’s story hanging — Resynced gives him a proper ending. Finishing it also unlocks a few additional sea shanties.
Four New Animus Rifts
Rifts are optional narrative activities that replace the original game’s playable modern-day Abstergo segments. There are four Rifts scattered across the Caribbean, and they explore “what if” story scenarios tied to key characters — Edward, Blackbeard, James Kidd, and one more you’ll have to find yourself.
The first Rift appears on the southern coast of Great Inagua after you finish Sequence 4’s intro. More unlock as you progress through the main story. Each one also rewards money, trade goods, and Data Fragments used for Animus Projects — so even if the story angle doesn’t interest you, the rewards are worth doing them. Completing Rifts contributes to unlocking cosmetics and gear through the Animus Hub. Our Animus Rifts locations and walkthrough covers all four in full.
New Gameplay Additions
Beyond the quests, Resynced adds a solid list of mechanical additions that didn’t exist in the original game.
Rope Dart — Now Available in Sequence 3
In the 2013 original, the Rope Dart wasn’t available until Sequence 11. In Resynced, you get it in Sequence 3, during Sugarcane and Its Yields. You can use it to pull enemies toward you, hang them from poles and rafters, or use it as a stealth tool and a distraction. It has a cooldown but it’s a genuine game-changer for both combat and stealth from very early in the game.
Crouch Button and Visibility Meter
The original Black Flag had no manual crouch — Edward could only crouch near tall grass. In Resynced, there’s a dedicated crouch button that works anywhere, affecting enemy visibility at medium to long range. Pair that with a new visibility meter that shows you exactly how close you are to being spotted, and stealth becomes far more readable and controllable. Edward is also less visible at night and in shadowed areas, a system borrowed from Assassin’s Creed Shadows.
No More Stealth Instant Fail States
Getting spotted in a tailing or eavesdropping mission no longer ends the mission outright. Instead, the objective shifts and the mission continues. This was one of the most complained-about systems in the original game. It’s fixed in Resynced. You can now fight your way out of a bad situation instead of restarting from scratch. Check our beginner’s tips for more on how stealth works in Resynced.
New Jackdaw Secondary Firing Modes
Clearing forts now rewards you with secondary firing modes for each of the Jackdaw’s weapons. This adds another layer of depth to naval combat beyond the original’s setup, with new cannons and guns featuring unique aiming mechanics. Our fort capture guide and forts guide have everything you need to unlock these fast.
Dynamic Weather System
Resynced introduces a fully dynamic weather system that affects more than just visuals. Ship sails react to wind direction, coconuts roll across decks during storms, and breakable objects in the environment respond to heavy weather. Storms have reworked water physics that genuinely affect how the Jackdaw handles at sea. You’ll experience calm sun, rough squalls, and violent storms as you sail the Caribbean — and combat difficulty shifts with the conditions.
Legendary Ships Now Respawn
In the 2013 original, sinking legendary ships was your only way to get the ram ability. In Resynced, legendary ships respawn over time, and the ram ability — along with double broadsides and enhanced bracing — can now be unlocked through the new officer questlines instead. This makes them less of a one-time event and more of an ongoing challenge for late-game players. See our guide on how to beat all 6 legendary ships for strategies.
Advanced Parkour Features
Resynced adds Advanced Parkour as an optional toggle. This unlocks more precise side and back ejects for reaching tricky ledges. Manual jump gives more directional control. Ziplines appear across cities like Havana and Nassau, letting you drop quickly from rooftops during chases. For more on how this works, see our advanced parkour guide.
Equipable Trinkets
Trinkets are a new item type in Resynced that provide unique stat buffs when equipped. They’re found as quest rewards, hidden on islands, and in special locations across the map. The Small Goblet from the Padre’s questline is one example — it increases healing from food and remedies. Keep an eye on what your quests reward, since some trinkets make a noticeable difference in tougher fights.
Underwater Diving Anywhere
In the original, open-water diving was restricted to specific story sections. In Resynced, Edward can dive anywhere along the coastline, opening up new stealth approaches to docks, forts, and waterfront areas. For deep shipwreck dives you still need a Diving Bell, but the freedom to go underwater anywhere is a meaningful addition to how you navigate the world. See our underwater shipwrecks guide for what’s waiting beneath the surface.
New Pets — Soot the Cat and Albert the Monkey
Two new pets can be recruited in Resynced, and they’ll sit on the Jackdaw’s railing while you sail. To find Soot the Cat, look for the Cat Distribution System event marker in Great Inagua. To find Albert the Monkey, look for the Monkey Business event marker off the shore of southeast Havana, on a ship. Equip your chosen pet through your loadout and it’ll ride along with you. See our friendly animals guide for both locations in full.
Ten New Sea Shanties
All 35 original shanties return in Resynced. On top of those, ten new shanties have been added. Some are tied to specific quests and activities — including completing the Stede Bonnet questline — so you won’t find them all through exploration alone. A special Resynced version of “Leave Her Johnny” by French artist Woodkid is one of the highlights. For the full breakdown, see our shanties guide.
New Hideout Upgrades and Great Inagua Expansions
The Great Inagua hideout has been expanded significantly in Resynced. You can now upgrade multiple buildings:
- Guesthouse — increases maximum passive income and adds fleet slots
- General Store — unlocks rare and legendary weapons, decorations, and outfits
- Tavern — gives access to three minigames and boosts chances of finding a Royal Convoy
- Harbormaster — increases the number and tier of Jackdaw upgrades available
- Treasure Dealer — unlocks exclusive items and a map restoration service
- Mansion Façade, Tower and Garden — both boost passive income and fleet capacity
These upgrades give the hideout a real sense of progression that the original game lacked. Our Great Inagua upgrades guide covers every building and the order to tackle them, and our crafting guide will help you gather the resources needed.
New Plantation Stories
Each plantation across the Caribbean now features a small extra narrative tied to locating a warehouse key. In one, a pet crocodile named Lucia gets in the way. In another, a forbidden love story unfolds between a British officer and the lady of the house. These aren’t major missions, but they add color and reward you for exploring areas you might otherwise just pass through. Some of them also drop hints about where to find new shanties. Our warehouse key guide covers what to expect at each plantation.
New Islands and Map Expansions
The Caribbean map has been expanded in Resynced. Several new islands have been added, and existing smaller islands called playas now feature more chests and unique hidden treasures. Some of these locations have exclusive trinkets tucked away — the Guardian Beast Trinket on Dry Tortuga is one example. More underwater chests have also been added outside of the standard shipwreck diving events. Our treasure map locations guide covers what’s findable across the expanded map.
Animus Hub and Crossover Projects with AC Shadows
Black Flag Resynced is fully integrated into the Animus Hub first seen in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. This live-service layer adds three Projects at launch — each acting as a free mini battle pass with cosmetic rewards and resources. The Eye in the Dark project offers 4,000 Keys and is the only one where the final reward is a skin usable in Black Flag Resynced itself. For a full breakdown of what’s earnable for free versus purchasable, see our microtransactions guide.
Two crossover Projects are shared between Black Flag Resynced and AC Shadows. Completing challenges in either game earns exclusive outfits — including Japan-inspired outfits for Edward and pirate-themed rewards for Naoe and Yasuke. Animus Keys collectibles are also scattered across the Caribbean, each worth 30 Keys toward the exchange shop.
What Was Removed from the Original
A few things didn’t make it into Resynced. The playable modern-day Abstergo sections from the 2013 game have been removed entirely and replaced with new Animus sequences and the Rift activities. The multiplayer mode is gone — Resynced is a purely single-player experience. The Freedom Cry DLC is not included, with Ubisoft stating the game is focused fully on Edward’s Caribbean story. The mini-map showing nearby enemies has also been removed, replaced by the compass and the new Observe Mode system.
Two combat changes from the original are worth noting as removals: the Hidden Blade can no longer be used in open combat — it is restricted to stealth kills and contextual finishing moves only. And you can no longer pick up weapons dropped by enemies during fights, which forces you to rely on Edward’s equipped loadout throughout each encounter.
For more on what changed from the original, check our full missions list, fast travel guide, and photo mode guide to get the most out of everything Resynced has to offer.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much new content is in Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced?
Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced adds approximately six hours of new story-driven content on top of the original game. This includes the A World Without Gold endgame chapter, three officer questlines, new side quests for Blackbeard and Stede Bonnet, and four Animus Rifts.
What is the new endgame chapter in Black Flag Resynced?
A World Without Gold is the new eight-mission endgame chapter. It unlocks after completing Everything Is Permitted in Sequence 11 and follows Edward hunting down the pirate hunter Robert Maynard. It also introduces the third naval officer, Tobias “Deadman” Smith, who is formally recruited during the fourth quest in the chain, It’s A Start.
Are there new officers in Black Flag Resynced?
Yes. Three new recruitable officers were added — Lucy Baldwin, The Padre (Abel Galvão), and Tobias “Deadman” Smith. Each one has their own questline and unlocks a powerful ability for the Jackdaw. Adéwalé and Anne Bonny also return as automatic story unlocks, bringing the total officer count to five.
What are Animus Rifts in Black Flag Resynced?
Animus Rifts are four optional narrative side activities that explore “what if” story scenarios tied to characters like Edward, Blackbeard, and James Kidd. They replace the playable modern-day Abstergo sections from the original game and reward money, trade goods, and Data Fragments for Animus Projects.
Are the new sea shanties in Black Flag Resynced or do they replace old ones?
All 35 original shanties return in full. The ten new shanties are additions, not replacements. Some are found through exploration, others are tied to specific quests like the Stede Bonnet questline. There’s also a special Resynced version of “Leave Her Johnny” by Woodkid.
Was anything cut from the original Black Flag for Resynced?
Yes. The playable modern-day Abstergo sections, the multiplayer mode, and the Freedom Cry DLC were all removed. The mini-map was also replaced with a compass and Observe Mode system. Two combat mechanics were also cut: the Hidden Blade no longer works in open combat (restricted to stealth kills only), and you can no longer pick up weapons dropped by enemies. In their place, Resynced adds new quests, Animus Rifts, and the Animus Hub live-service layer.
Does Black Flag Resynced have microtransactions?
It does have an in-game store through the Animus Hub. For a full breakdown of what’s purchasable and what’s earnable for free, see our microtransactions guide.
Does the Prison Key quest count as new content in Black Flag Resynced?
The Claiming What’s Due mission that involves the Prison Key in Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced is part of the original story, though the level design around Torres’ estate has been expanded with new guard towers and additional buildings compared to the 2013 version.
