How to unlock Thrown to the Dogs Assassin’s Creed Shadows pre-order bonus quest

Thrown to the Dogs in Assassin’s Creed Shadows is a quest you can get by pre-ordering the game. It focuses on a dog who is still loyal to its master, even after the latter's demise. Inspired by real-life incidents, this quest will take you on an emotional rollercoaster.

In this article, we share everything you need to know about the Thrown to the Dogs Assassin's Creed Shadows pre-order bonus quest.

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How to unlock the Thrown to the Dogs quest

Official gameplay promo (Image via Ubisoft)

Unlocking the Thrown to the Dogs quest is straightforward. Here’s how to gain access to it:

Pre-order Assassin’s Creed Shadows

• The quest is exclusively available as part of the pre-order bonuses for Assassin’s Creed Shadows. To unlock it, you must pre-order any edition of the game (Standard, Deluxe, or Collector’s) through an official retailer or digital platform.
• Pre-ordering must be completed before the game’s official release date, as of March 18, 2025.

Access the quest in-game

• After starting Assassin’s Creed Shadows, the Thrown to the Dogs quest should become available as you progress through the early stages of the game. While exact details about when or where it unlocks in the story are unclear, pre-order bonus quests in past Assassin’s Creed titles (like Origins or Valhalla) typically appear in the quest log or world map shortly after completing the introductory missions.
• Look for a notification or a unique quest marker related to the stray dog encounter to begin the mission.

Future availability

• Ubisoft has hinted that Thrown to the Dogs may become available to all players in the latter stages of 2025, potentially as free DLC or part of a content update. However, this is unconfirmed as of now, and pre-ordering remains the only guaranteed way to access it at launch.

Animals have played significant roles in previous Assassin’s Creed titles. This includes Senu the Eagle in Origins and the Wolf Companion in Valhalla.

Given the focus is on the dog in this quest, there’s speculation that completing Thrown to the Dogs might reward players with it as a companion for the dual protagonists. While this isn’t confirmed, it would align with Ubisoft’s history of integrating animal allies into gameplay.

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What is the Thrown to the Dogs quest in Assassin’s Creed Shadows?

Official gameplay promo (Image via Ubisoft)

Thrown to the Dogs is a pre-order bonus quest in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. The quest revolves around the dual protagonists encountering a stray, beaten-up dog waiting loyally at a grave. This scene leads the protagonists to follow the animal to the former home of its deceased owner, where they uncover hidden family secrets.

The quest appears to draw inspiration from real-world stories like that of Hachiko, the famous Japanese Akita who waited for his master for nearly a decade after his death. Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ creative director, Dumont has compared it to the side quests in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey.

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Is it worth pre-ordering Thrown to the Dogs?

Pre-ordering Assassin’s Creed Shadows for Thrown to the Dogs would depend on your personal preference. Here are a few pros and cons:

Pros

• Offers an exclusive, emotional story not available to all players at launch.
• Potential for a unique reward, such as a dog companion.

Cons

• Could be made available for purchase or part of one of the editions in the future.

At this point, all we know is that Thrown to the Dogs is a pre-order bonus quest available in Assassin’s Creed Shadows as additional content. Whether you should pre-purchase the game depends entirely on your faith or love for the franchise.