What to Expect From Assassin’s Creed Shadows in 2025

Posted by By our-little-miss-is-home December 29, 2024 7 Views 9 Min Read
What to Expect From Assassin's Creed Shadows in 2025



Assassin’s Creed Shadows is the 14th mainline game in the long-running Ubisoft franchise and easily one of its most anticipated. Fans have been clamoring for an Assassin’s Creed game set in Japan for years, with the company itself teasing the setting as far back as Assassin’s Creed 3. Now, fans will be able to treat themselves with this historical setting come February 2024.

The Assassin’s Creed franchise has changed a lot since its inception. The series was basically annualized at one point, then it wasn’t, and now Ubisoft is reportedly considering increasing its AC output even further. It was a stealth-focused action-adventure series, then it was an open-world RPG, and now it may be more experimental moving forward. All of its releases will be channeled through the Animus Hub, with Assassin’s Creed Shadows being the first release on the service. Overall, a lot of changes could be coming over the next few years, but for now, AC Shadows is Ubisoft’s focus. There’s a lot of anticipation behind it, and hopefully it lives up to it come release.

naoe yasuke assassins creed shadows trailer compare

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The Road to Release

AC Shadows is kicking off the new year with a timer: a month and a half until release. Fans have likely seen the bulk of AC Shadows‘ marketing that they’re going to, although they shouldn’t rule out any last-minute showcases. At the very least, fans can expect the normal launch trailer + reviews before launch. Hopefully, although nothing is confirmed, it would be great to see the Animus Hub in action before the Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ release date. But otherwise, an Assassin’s Creed adventure in Japan is finally forthcoming.

AC Shadows Releases February 14

AC Shadows Story Expectations

Story-wise, fans already know that there are two protagonists: a shinobi named Naoe and an African samurai named Yasuke. Players can switch between AC Shadows‘ Naoe and Yasuke at any time. It takes place in the final stage of the Sengoku period, a time of conflict in feudal Japan. Fans can expect historical figures like Oda Nobunaga, historical events like Nobunaga’s assault on the Iga province, castles such as Takeda and Fukuchiyama, a touch of urbanization with bustling ports, the inclusion of Portuguese trades and Jesuit missionaries, tech like cannons and long guns, and several regions to explore: Kyoto, Kobe, Osaka, and Iga.

Yasuke would have likely fought in several battles in the name of Oda Nobunaga, making him Naoe’s enemy out of the gate. The two will somehow come to work together, building up their network and likely tying into the Brotherhood somehow. From there, fans can expect to take out Templars across the provinces, perhaps from multiple factions. The two protagonists ultimately shape the future of Japan in the Assassin’s Creed timeline, and it’ll be interesting to see how this story develops within the franchise’s new direction and framing.

AC Shadows Naoe Gameplay

Fans already know that Naoe and Yasuke will play differently; they are not two Assassins, after all. Yasuke will be the more brutish warrior emphasized by Valhalla and Odyssey (to some degree), while Naoe is touching more on classic Assassin’s Creed gameplay. This allows Assassin’s Creed Shadows to serve two fantasies: the Shinobi and the Samurai.

  • As the Shinobi, Naoe is stealthier than Yasuke and more proficient at parkour, the leap of faith, and undermining her foes.
  • Naoe’s weaponry includes a Katana, a Kusarigama, a Tanto, and a Hidden Blade. Her weapons are built around being quiet and taking out enemies quickly.
  • Naoe will be able to use various gadgets and tools like a Grappling Hook, Smoke bombs, and Bell. Some gadgets are limited to one character.
  • Naoe will have distinct romance options.

AC Shadows Yasuke Gameplay

  • As the Samurai, Yasuke is stronger and capable of dealing more damage than Naoe. However, he naturally draws more attention and is clumsier if players attempt any sort of stealth with him.
  • Yasuke’s weaponry is more extensive than Naoe’s to reflect his role as a warrior: Long Katana, Naginata, Kanabo, Yumi Bow, and Teppo Rifle.
  • Yasuke will have distinct romance options.

Open-World Gameplay

Beyond the individual gameplay, players can expect AC Shadows‘ open world to be filled to the brim with side activities, new features, seasonal changes, important elements like a Hideout, and different mission types and NPCs that react to the selected character. Overall, AC Shadows seems to be taking a “best of both worlds” approach with a more digestible open world compared to Valhalla, all of which bodes well for the game.

AC Shadows: 2024 and Beyond

There’s a lot left to be learned about the actual game, of course, but eventually, players will have their fill of the base game. What comes next is rather obscure right now, something that hopefully Ubisoft details ahead of AC Shadows‘ release date.

With AC Shadows’ delay to February 2025, Ubisoft announced that the game was coming to Steam on day one – a smart move for the company. It also refunded pre-orders due to the delay and promised the first DLC expansion for free with new AC Shadows pre-orders. The season pass was also scrapped. That’s pretty much what’s all known right now. While it seems that this delay has led to some changes for its post-launch period, it’s hard to imagine Ubisoft not supporting it to some degree. Abandoning an exact season pass and seasonal structure may allow the development team to be more nimble with post-launch content, but for now, fans should keep their expectations here in check. It could go any number of ways, but it does seem likely that it’ll end up supported like AC Valhalla to some extent.

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