Assassin's Creed Shadows: Release Date, Gameplay, And Everything We Know

Japan has been a dream destination for Assassin's Creed fans, and at long last, Ubisoft is booking a trip to the east in Assassin's Creed Shadows. Originally revealed under the working title of Codename Red, Assassin's Creed Shadows sticks to the open-world formula of previous games in the series while focusing on two key characters in its story. Players will experience the history of feudal Japan as Yasuke and Naoe, two protagonists who have their own unique methods for taking down enemies.

Following its cinematic reveal trailer, here's everything we know about Assassin's Creed Shadows so far.

Release date

Ubisoft has locked in a launch date of November 15 for Assassin's Creed Shadows. Ubisoft+ Premium members will have full access to the Ultimate Edition of the game starting November 12, three days ahead of its official launch.

Platforms

Assassin's Creed Shadows will launch for PC, Mac, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. "Starting with Assassin's Creed Codename Red, games will be built specifically for current-gen consoles," Ubisoft said in a 2022 blog post, confirming that the new installment will be leaving last-gen consoles behind.

Characters

Similar to 2015's Assassin's Creed Syndicate, Shadows has two protagonists, the shinobi Naoe and the real-life samurai Yasuke. Players will be able to switch between them as they play through the campaign. Yasuke is thought to have been born in Mozambique and brought to Japan, and historical records show that he served the daimyo Oda Nobunaga. Not much else is known about him, but Ubisoft says that he'll interact with powerful historical figures of the era.

"Narratively, we had so much fun imagining the kind of person who would have this trajectory," Stephanie-Anne Ruatta, world director and historian at Ubisoft Quebec, said to IGN about Yasuke's development. While players will explore a tale of honor, justice, and belonging as Yasuke, Naoe will serve as a stealthy option who is inspired by the roots of the Assassin's Creed series. The fictional daughter of historical figure Fujibayashi Nagato, Naoe operates from the shadows with her ninja skills.

Story and setting

Starting in 1579, Assassin's Creed Shadows is kicks off during a pivotal moment of history for Japan. The Azuchi-Momoyama period saw a transition from the brutal wars of the Sengoku era to the more peaceful times of the Edo period as the influence of the samurai began to wane. Portuguese merchants and Jesuit missionaries began to appear more frequently, and players can expect to encounter real-life people like Oda Nobunaga and the Iga clan's ninja master Fujibayashi Nagato.

While Ubisoft isn't ready to spill the beans yet on the story, it has confirmed that the game has a non-linear campaign focused on eliminating targets. You'll be able to take them out in any order, and the challenge of assassinating them varies from target to target. Some of your marks might be encountered while you're exploring Japan, while others will require you to plan an infiltration mission to take them out from inside their strongholds.

Most of the quests can be completed as either Yasuke or Naoe, although both characters will have unique missions.

Stealth

Yasuke and Naoe play very differently from each other when it comes to stealth. Naoe can use her ninja skills to infiltrate enemy strongholds, whereas Yasuke's bigger build and heavy armor makes him better suited for briefly hiding from foes and then ambushing them. Ubisoft says that the game makes use of a new global illumination system to create dynamic light and shadows, which in turn affect enemy vision. You'll be able to hide in the darkness, eliminate sources of light, and a light meter will show just how hidden you really are.

Other stealth options include the ability to knock out foes instead of killing them, crawling along the ground when in a prone position, and Eagle Vision returns. This special ability once again lets you spot enemies through walls and identify them, as Shadows will not feature the eagle reconnaissance system that was used to mark foes in Assassin's Creed Origins, Odyssey, and Valhalla.

Naoe also has a grappling hook that can be used to quickly get out of harm's way by climbing into the ceiling space above corridors. This also puts her in a prime position to ambush enemies, and the tool can be used to climb up to the roofs of buildings when outside.

Combat

If Naoe is a master of stealth, then Yasuke is the warrior you want in your corner when sneaking around isn't an option. Combat in Assassin's Creed Shadows places an emphasis on dodging and positioning, and as a samurai, Yasuke can block or parry incoming attacks. Naoe cannot block, but she can deflect attacks. Ubisoft hasn't explained the exact differences between these abilities yet.

For your arsenal, you'll have access to katanas, spears, and shurikens, while more exotic weapons include the kanabo war club and the kusarigama. Enemy armor can be broken in combat, and Ubisoft says every prop in the game can be damaged by your weapons. Yasuke can also make use of more modern weaponry like rifles, and each weapon has its own skill-tree. The more you invest in that weapon, the better you'll become with it.

Active combat skills will also be available in the game, and these can be unlocked by finding ninja scrolls--not the anime DVD--hidden throughout the world. Yasuke and Naoe will also share XP, resources, and weapons, but they have their own individual skill-trees and gear.

Seasons

Assassin's Creed Shadows will have its own season system that cycles through spring, summer, autumn, and winter. The length of each season is dictated by your progress through the campaign and each one has unique features linked to gameplay. Spring and summer will have more long bushes to hide in, while winter weather makes the game more challenging as these hiding spots are removed and environmental hazards appear. A dynamic weather system adds to the authenticity of the world around you, creating a living ecosystem.

Map size

Ubisoft says the map size for Shadows will be similar to the size of ancient Egypt in Origins and it replicates the central region of Japan. You'll explore real historical provinces like Iga, Arima, and Omi, but with a twist.

Synchronization points will not reveal icons on your map--or have a cool spinning drone shot around you--and instead you'll see points of interest highlighted. Ubisoft is aiming to create a more organic world to explore with fewer icons on your map, but synchronization locations can still be used as fast-travel points.

Preorders

Several different editions of Assassin's Creed Shadows will be available for preorder, and all of them come with bonus in-game content. For the fancy collector's edition, you'll get a ton of DLC, a steelbook cover, a hardcover art book, and a cool statue of Yasuke and Naoe.

For more details, you can check out GameSpot's Assassin's Creed Shadows preorder guide.