'For Honor' update: Season 2 launches May 16; new heroes, maps, gears to be added

Gameplay photo of Ubisoft's "For Honor."forhonor.ubisoft.com

The second season of "For Honor" officially hits consoles and PC on May 16, Ubisoft announced Thursday.

Titled "Shadow and Might," the game's second season will introduce two new heroes: the Centurion and the Shinobi. Dubbed as silent warriors, the Shinobi move with a dancer's grace and kill with great precision. They are highly skilled fighters because they have spent a lifetime of training. They use the traditional Japanese kusarigama as their main weapon.

The Centurion, on the other hand, consider the battlefield as a chessboard. Known for making calculated moves against the enemy, the Centurion wield the reliable standard issue gladius. They are able to bypass enemy defenses by doing strategic close-quarters combat.

In addition, season 2 will feature two new maps (Forge and Temple Garden), gameplay updates, and more customization options, which will all be free for players. A new Epic rarity level will be introduced, which increases "the maximum gear score" while bringing a certain balance to the gear stats system. 

Since Ubisoft is increasing the gear score maximum level, any hero that has been fully leveled up will have more room for improvement. Aside from extra content, season 2 also signals the beginning of the second round of the Faction War — a persistent three-way battle involving the Samurai, the Viking and the Knight. The Viking emerged victorious during the first round, earning more territories than the Samurai and the Knight combined.

For their victory in season 1, the Viking faction fighters received several rewards. They earned a golden emblem outline, one player ornament, and five Scavenger crates.

The May 16 release for season 2 is exclusively for Season Pass holders. Non-Season Pass holders can still unlock the new content on May 23, by using the in-game currency of steel. This is consistent with Ubisoft's previous promise to give the Season Pass holders timed benefits while also keeping the "For Honor" community aligned when it comes to playable characters.

Developed and published by Ubisoft, "For Honor" is available for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC platforms.