Ubisoft has released the 1.0.8 update for Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag: Memory Reset, adding New Game+ and Nightmare Mode. This is the final major content update since the game's launch; future patches will continue to focus on improving the overall experience.
New Game+ allows players to restart Edward Kenway's journey while retaining tools, upgrades, unlocked weapons and cosmetics, Jackdaw upgrades, officer abilities and pets, as well as money, materials, trade goods, outfits, hideout progress, fleet ships, and some store items. Officers must be recruited again, mission items are removed, and forts and map fog are reset.
Players can complete up to five consecutive New Game+ cycles, with difficulty increasing each round. The highest-level ships will appear at sea, and the number of elite patrols will increase. This mode also introduces a new currency called Escudos, earned by completing challenges and opening chests, which can be used to purchase New Game+-exclusive outfits.
Nightmare Mode is more punishing than Hard Mode: enemy damage is increased by 1.8x, parry windows are shorter, and enemy detection speed is faster. Damage from ships, sharks, and underwater environments is also increased, while oxygen depletes more quickly.
The 1.0.8 update also restores some original execution animations and adds hidden community chests and cosmetic items. Additionally, the patch fixes issues related to offline launching, minigame freezes, fast travel, map icons, audio, combat, and stability.