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Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced launched with a surprise – Animus Projects, a free battlepass system imported from Assassin’s Creed Shadows. PC Gamer described them as essentially “daily quests and what is essentially a battle pass” in the remake. This guide covers exactly how Animus Projects work, the fastest ways to farm Data Fragments, the complete reward breakdown, and whether the system is worth your time.
TL;DR
- Animus Projects are free battlepasses that award cosmetics, weapons, and Keys for completing weekly Anomalies
- Three Projects available at launch: Eye in the Dark (Black Flag rewards), Riptides, and Undertow (both Shadows rewards)
- Farm Data Fragments by completing time-limited Anomalies – corrupted ship combat, puzzles, and Rifts
- Projects award exclusive lore, outfits, pets, and cross-game cosmetics unavailable elsewhere
- Weekly Anomaly reset makes this a long-term engagement system, not a one-and-done grind
What Are Animus Projects in Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced?
Animus Projects are essentially Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced’s version of a battle pass. However, unlike most battle passes, this one is entirely free. These projects act similarly to a battle pass, where completing a rotating series of limited-time objectives will grant you Data Fragments to spend in each project. The system replaces the playable modern-day Animus sections from the original 2013 game, integrating a live-service progression layer into the remake.
Each project is made up of Anomalies, time-limited challenges which refresh each week, and they can be tracked in the Hub to be completed in-game. You earn Data Fragments by completing these Anomalies, then spend fragments to unlock tiered rewards like cosmetics, weapons, Keys, and encrypted lore files. Black Flag Resynced’s Animus Hub is a live service offering that plans to add additional content and rewards over time. Progress is shared across your Ubisoft account if you also own Assassin’s Creed Shadows, meaning Data Fragments earned in one game apply to your active Project in both.
Where to Get Animus Projects in Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced
The first Rift appeared on the south coast of Great Inagua after finishing This Old Cove. From this point on you can also earn Data Fragments for Animus Projects, unlocking cosmetics and gear. You can access the Projects menu in two ways: pause the game and navigate to the Animus section, or hover over any nearby Anomaly icon on the map and hold the interaction button. As of launch, there are three Projects in Black Flag Resynced: Eye in the Dark offers 4,000 Keys and rewards for Black Flag Resynced, while Riptides and Undertow offer 3,500 Keys and rewards for Shadows.
Swapping between projects does not remove your progress within them and picks up where you left off when activated again. Only one Project can be active at a time, and all Data Fragments you earn are applied to the currently selected Project. The very first Crossover Projects, named Riptides and Undertow, are available now in Shadows and Black Flag Resynced and will unlock rewards in both games. If you don’t own Shadows or prefer Black Flag-specific gear, prioritize Eye in the Dark first.
Step-by-Step: How to Farm Animus Projects Fast
Follow this sequence to get it done fast.
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1
Activate Eye in the Dark first
This is the only Project with a final reward available in Black Flag Resynced itself, rather than cross-game Shadows items.
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2
Complete weekly Anomalies on the map
White Animus logos mark Anomaly locations; complete them to earn Data Fragments (700-800 per Anomaly).
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3
Claim tiered rewards as you progress
Once you've earned enough fragments for a reward tier, open the Animus menu and claim it manually.
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4
Collect Animus Keys and Caches while exploring
Keys grant 30 Keys each, while Caches unlock encrypted lore files in the Vault.
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5
Swap Projects to target specific rewards
Your progress is saved per Project; switch to Riptides or Undertow temporarily if you want a specific reward, then return to Eye in the Dark.
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6
Check back weekly for Anomaly resets
Anomalies refresh each week, so this is designed as an ongoing system rather than a one-time completion grind.
Best Data Fragment Farming Methods
| Method | Speed | Effort | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weekly Anomalies (corrupted ships) | Fast | Low | Consistent 700-800 fragments per completion; most efficient method |
| Rift activities | Medium | Medium | Narrative content with puzzle sections; fragments plus lore files as bonus |
| Synchronization challenges | Slow | Medium | Journey/Edward/Dark Animus objective sets; awards 300 Keys per sequence, not fragments |
| Animus Key collectibles | Slow | Low | 30 Keys per cube; passive collection while exploring; Keys used in Exchange, not Projects |
| Crossover Project progression | Varies | High | Only viable if you own both Black Flag Resynced and Shadows; shared Data Fragment pool |
Animus Project Rewards and What You Unlock
The Eye in the Dark Project has the Dark Animus Familiar Legendary Pet, Keys, Dark Animus Corsair Flintlocks Pistol, Encrypted Data Files, Obsidian Monolith Trinket, Dark Animus Corsair Robes, and more. You’ll unlock rewards including lore and narrative content, from journal entries to messages and notes between characters, all available in the Vault. You’ll learn more about your favorite Assassins, their friends and enemies, the worlds in which they reside, and more.
Cosmetics and Gear
Eye in the Dark rewards include the Dark Animus Corsair outfit set, flintlock pistols, and a legendary pet. Riptides and Undertow offer Japan-inspired outfits for Edward and pirate-themed gear for Shadows characters Naoe and Yasuke. You’ll also be rewarded with currency which cannot be purchased and is only earned through gameplay, to be spent in the Exchange. That means no paid rewards, just items that are earned through playing.
Keys and Cross-Game Items
Completing Projects awards Keys, the cross-game currency used in the Animus Hub Exchange. In Black Flag Resynced, you can purchase items like Connor’s outfit from Assassin’s Creed III, on top of ship cosmetics, swords, and more. Each Project offers thousands of Keys – Eye in the Dark gives 4,000, while Riptides and Undertow each provide 3,500. Keys cannot be purchased with real money; the only way to get Keys in Black Flag Resynced is to play the game. Collect Keys in the open world or complete different challenges and achievements in the Projects and Synchronization tabs of the Animus.
Encrypted Lore Files and Vault Content
You’ll also see encrypted files still waiting to be found and decrypted to aid you on your hunt for lore. Data Caches scattered across the Caribbean unlock digital text logs when collected. Rift activities provide “what if?” scenarios, where EGO will show you alternate versions of genetic memories to explore different versions of the characters you’ll meet along the way. Four distinct Rift quests are available in the remake, offering both narrative twists and substantial in-game rewards like Reales and trade goods.
Common Misconceptions About Animus Projects
Myth: Animus Projects Are Pay-to-Win
Currency cannot be purchased and is only earned through gameplay, to be spent in the Exchange. That means no paid rewards, just items that are earned through playing, and only available to the most dedicated players. While the remake includes a microtransaction store for cosmetics, Projects themselves are entirely free with no purchasable skip tiers or premium tracks. Data Fragments and Keys are earned exclusively through gameplay.
Myth: You Can Complete All Projects Quickly
Anomalies award 700-800 Data Fragments and reset weekly. You’ll get new anomalies to complete based on the timer above each one. So, if you complete one, you’ll have to wait a while for another to replace it. This weekly reset structure means completing all three Projects is a multi-week time commitment, not a weekend binge. The system is designed for ongoing player retention, similar to seasonal models in live-service games.
Myth: Animus Projects Are Required for Story Progression
Once downloaded, the full main campaign of Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced is fully playable offline. However, an online connection will be needed to play live content linked to the Animus Hub (Store, Anomalies, Projects, Vault). Projects are entirely optional side content. You can complete Edward’s story without engaging with the system at all. The rewards are cosmetic or cross-game collectibles, not mandatory upgrades. Rift activities offer alternate-timeline story content, but they’re separate optional missions, not main campaign objectives.
Our Take: Are Animus Projects Worth It?
Our Take
Animus Projects are a tacked-on live-service layer that will appeal to completionists and cross-game collectors, but they’re skippable if you just want Edward’s pirate adventure.
Look, Ubisoft Montreal and Ubisoft Singapore delivered a solid remake of the 2013 classic on the Anvil engine – reworked naval combat with new firing modes, the Jackdaw upgrade system with officer abilities, and roughly six hours of new story content with Blackbeard and Stede Bonnet. The core experience is strong. But bolting on weekly Anomalies and a free battlepass feels like corporate mandate more than creative vision, especially when the source article rightly points out that “almost everything good in Black Flag Resynced exists in the original game.”
That said, if you’re the type who wants every ship pet, legacy outfit, and encrypted lore file, Projects are your only path to a significant chunk of exclusive cosmetics. The Dark Animus Corsair outfit set looks genuinely distinct, and Connor’s robes from AC3 are a worthwhile nostalgia grab if you’ve got 3,000 Keys to spare. The Rift activities are honestly the better addition – alternate-timeline narrative missions with challenging boss fights and glitched environments that remix the formula in interesting ways, plus they reward actual useful resources like money and trade goods, not just cosmetics.
The grind itself is tolerable. Anomalies are straightforward – sink corrupted ships, open special chests, complete short puzzle sections – and they award 700-800 Data Fragments per completion. Projects require thousands of fragments to fully complete, but the weekly reset pacing means this is background progression over weeks of normal play, not a soul-crushing marathon. If you’re playing casually and doing one or two Anomalies per session, you’ll make steady progress without feeling like the game is holding rewards hostage. If you hate live-service drip-feed mechanics, just ignore Projects entirely and enjoy the 40-hour main campaign and side content – you won’t miss anything story-critical.