# Assassin's Creed Shadows

Assassin's Creed Shadows is an upcoming action role-playing game developed by Ubisoft Quebec and published by Ubisoft. The game is the fourteenth major installment in the Assassin's Creed series and the successor to 2023's Assassin's Creed Mirage.
Set in 16th-century Japan towards the end of the Sengoku period, the game will focus on the millennia-old struggle between the Assassin Brotherhood, who fight for peace and liberty, and the Templar Order, who desire peace through control, from the perspective of two protagonists: Fujibayashi Naoe, a kunoichi (a female shinobi), and Yasuke, an African samurai inspired by the historical figure of the same name. The two characters control differently and provide a unique gameplay style, allowing quests to be approached in multiple ways.
Shadows is scheduled to release for PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox Series X/S, macOS, and iPadOS on March 20, 2025.

## Gameplay

Assassin's Creed Shadows is an action-adventure stealth game similar to its predecessors. It is developed on an upgraded version of Anvil, utilizing dynamic lighting and environmental interactions with new enhancements such as breakable objects, in addition to allowing players to manipulate shadows and use a grappling hook for parkour. The game's open world, whose size is comparable to that from Assassin's Creed Origins, progresses through seasons, each affecting gameplay, including frozen water and icicles in winter, long grass and blooming plants in spring. Missions are non-linear, encouraging players to track and eliminate targets freely; in a change from previous games, vantage points will exist in the world but only to help the player scan the environment for points of interest, rather than populating the player's map with objectives markers. Alternatively, one can recruit and train a spy network to gather intelligence, alongside bribing officials to ascertain the whereabouts of targets.
This installment introduces new gameplay features, including the ability to crawl along the ground in a prone position, providing the player characters with a lower profile and the capability to access small openings. The character can also venture into shallow water, where they then deploy a bamboo stick to breathe through. Eagle vision also makes a comeback, but unlike Assassin's Creed Mirage, it would not reveal the NPCs through the walls; as enemies are denoted in red, while allies are highlighted in orange. Moreover, a diverse selection of historically accurate weapons is showcased, ranging from katana and the kanabō war club to yari spears, shuriken, kunai, and the kusarigama. Each weapon comes with its own skill tree, enabling players to improve their proficiency with specific weapons over time.
Players have the ability to switch between characters as they progress through different missions. Yasuke's combat features destructible environments and realistic weapon impacts, providing a cinematic fighting experience, in addition to using arquebuses, giving him a powerful long-range capability. Meanwhile, Naoe brandishes the iconic hidden blade with its pivot feature to serve as a tantō, as well as utilizing a kusarigama to fend off attackers, swinging its chain in wide arcs to create distance. Moreover, she employs stealth tactics with an agile and lethal playstyle, hiding in the rafters and ambushing enemies through Shoji paper doors.
On November 21, 2024, Ubisoft released additional information on new and improved gameplay mechanics:
* Stealth Philosophy - a ground-up improvement of the stealth mechanic system as it was known from early games of the series. In Shadows, players need to rely on Naoe's and Yasuke's senses in a more tactical way, since this new system removes the use of the player's pet eagle, lately used in Origins, Odyssey and Valhalla. The classic eagle vision can now detect enemies beyond obstacles like walls, and can also isolates the sounds they make. Both Naoe and Yasuke are able to enter a new mode called "Observe", a fast and easy way of retrieving information on the targets in front of them. This new mode will also be available while crouching on high vantage points, thus enabling players to closely examine newly discovered places.
* Shinobi moves - For the first time in the series, hiding in the shadows will make the player character invisible to her enemies. Moreover, during night time, every shaded spot will become a dynamic hiding spot in which the players can advance themselves further, both indoors and outdoors. To this end, players will be able to use the shadows to their advantage in order to take down their enemies, or create opportunities like destroying lit lanterns with Shurikens. Furthermore, moving while crouching is more effective indoors, as the player can move silently through the creaking Nightingale floors. As mentioned before, both Naoe and Yasuke will be able to crawl on the ground, on rooftops and underwater. However, Naoe can now roll over sideways while crawling, to dispatch her enemies silently and effectively.
* Shinobi and Assassin weapons - Naoe won't need to rely on her stealth skills alone. To her disposal are four new tools that can help her escape or kill her targets - the classic Smoke bombs, the new Shinobi Bells she can throw for distractions, the Kunai throwing knives and Shurikens.

## Synopsis
### Setting

Assassin's Creed Shadows is set in feudal Japan, specifically starting in 1579 during the Azuchi-Momoyama period. This era marks the final stage of the Sengoku period, a time of intense civil war in Japan. The game features the historical figure Oda Nobunaga at the height of his power following his victory over the Takeda clan using arquebus firearms. Key historical events include Nobunaga's assault on the Iga province in 1581, a significant battle involving the Iga ikki, known for their ninjutsu arts.
The game will explore central Japan, including regions like Kyoto, Kobe, Osaka, and the Iga province, with historically accurate castles such as Takeda and Fukuchiyama, along with detailed historical landmarks and strongholds designed as intricate dungeons. This setting will reflect the urbanization of Japan at the time, bustling ports, samurai districts, and ornate architecture, all significant for parkour and exploration in the game. The influence of Portuguese traders and Jesuit missionaries, who introduced Christianity and new technologies like cannons and long guns, also play a role in shaping the game's environment and narrative.

## Development

Shadows was announced at Ubisoft Forward in September 2022 under the working title Assassin's Creed: Codename Red along with its planned successor Assassin's Creed: Codename Hexe. There, Ubisoft announced that Assassin's Creed would be entering a third period related to shifts in design philosophy and approaches to future games, all connected by a working concept called Assassin's Creed Infinity (later renamed to the Animus Hub). The first major gameplay details were announced on May 15, 2024, along with the final name and release date. It was also later revealed that Ubisoft Quebec who previously developed Assassin's Creed Odyssey and Assassin's Creed Syndicate would be developing the game. Development began in 2020, following the release of Assassin's Creed Valhalla.
Shadows is the first game in the series to be aimed at the ninth generation of video game consoles (PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S), dropping support for the eighth generation consoles (PlayStation 4 and Xbox One). Lead producer Karl Onnée said the hardware available in the newer consoles was necessary to support the new version of their engine that supplies effects like light, shadows, and dynamic weather.

## Delays and controversies

The game was initially scheduled to release for PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox Series X/S, macOS, and iPadOS on November 15, 2024. In September 2024, Ubisoft announced that, despite the game being feature complete, they opted to delay the release to February 14, 2025, for further polishing, citing insights gained from the Star Wars Outlaws launch in August. The company also cancelled the game's season pass and refunded existing pre-orders, with future pre-orders set to include the first expansion for free. In a shift from Ubisoft's previous release practices, the PC version will launch simultaneously on Steam, Epic Games Store, and Ubisoft Connect. In January 2025, Ubisoft postponed the release once again to March 20, as the company explored its sale options and to provide developers with more time to implement additional changes. After its new release date was unveiled, the game became subject to controversy due to the release date being the same day as the 30-year anniversary of the Tokyo subway sarin attack, a terrorist attack in Japan.
Upon the release of the video game's premiere trailer on May 15, 2024, the decision to feature a fictional version of Yasuke as a central character prompted criticism online. Critics and fans on social media reacted negatively to the inclusion of a black samurai protagonist instead of a Japanese one, accusing Ubisoft of "going woke", or saying that Yasuke was "not a 'real' samurai." Others noted that Ubisoft has never made a game with a male East Asian protagonist. The online backlash led to harassment and threats directed at the game developers, Laurence Russell of Wired likened the backlash to the Gamergate harassment campaign and the alt-right. Ubisoft has defended their position on their choices for Yasuke in response to the criticism. Game director Charles Benoit said that Yasuke was chosen because players could discover Japan at the same time as Yasuke, "through his eyes, the eyes of a foreigner". Matt Kim of IGN praised the choice of Yasuke to differentiate itself from other samurai games featuring Asian protagonists. Academic Thomas Lockley defended Yasuke's portrayal as a samurai, and stated that no reputable Japanese historian had questioned Yasuke's samurai status.
Shadows was rated as "CERO Z" in January 2025 by Japan's Computer Entertainment Rating Organization (CERO), which legally limits sale of the game to adults; CERO issued its rating based on the amount of gore that was present in the game such as body dismemberment. While the game will be released internationally with an in-game toggle to show or disable the gore, Ubisoft said that they are working to make a Japan-specific version of the game which will not include the toggle and eliminate the gore from the game to achieve a less strict CERO rating. A collectible figure was scheduled to be released in promotion for the game. The figure used a design similar to the damaged one-legged Torii gate Sannō Shrine in Nagasaki, located less than a mile from the epicenter of the nuclear bombing of Nagasaki. It was removed from sale following claims of cultural insensitivity. In February 2025, leaked gameplay footage showed Yasuke being able to enter the Itatehyōzu Shrine and destroy the altar, causing controversy. Shrine officials said they were not consulted about the shrine's usage in the game and that they would take "appropriate action" against the game.
In February 2025, Ubisoft stated that pre-orders for the game were in line with those of Assassin's Creed Odyssey, the series' second best-selling game. In that same month, it was reported that physical copies of the game for PlayStation 5 leaked.

## Awards

Assassin's Creed Shadows was nominated for the Most Wanted Game at the Golden Joystick Awards 2024.