For years, the Assassin’s Creed franchise has been taking players on fantastical adventures throughout history. They have gotten to sail the high seas as pirates, fight their way through the American Revolution, experience the Renaissance, take a trip back to Ancient Rome, and conquer the world as a Viking. However, throughout all of this, players have been clamoring for the franchise to take a trip to Japan. And finally, after years of waiting, Assassin’s Creed Shadows has delivered on that potential.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows has put players in the shoes of an assassin and a samurai in 16th-century Japan, which has made for a fantastic adventure. Players are finally getting the Assassin’s Creed game they have been clamoring for, and through post-launch content, that experience will only get grander. But, at the same time, Sucker Punch was aiming to fill that very void with the likes of Ghost of Tsushima. While that game did successfully do that, its sequel, Ghost of Yotei, may struggle to do the same thing now that Ubisoft has delivered.
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The Unwritten Rules of Assassin’s Creed Shadows Explained
Before setting off on a journey through Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ feudal Japan, players should familiarize themselves with its unwritten rules.
Assassin’s Creed Has Finally Filled the Void Sucker Punch Was Filling
Ghost of Tsushima Delivered What AC Fans Had Been Waiting For
Although that may not have been the main goal, Ghost of Tsushima delivered exactly what Assassin’s Creed fans had been looking for back in 2020. While it had nothing to do with Ubisoft’s franchise, it finally put players in the shoes of a samurai in an open-world action adventure. Players fell in love with its world, the combat was top-notch, and the story was a fantastic ride from start to finish. Plus, its many similarities to the Assassin’s Creed franchise really helped draw that audience in, making for an exciting new franchise in the process.
Ghost of Tsushima really came at a perfect time as Assassin’s Creed fans had been calling for a Japan-focused adventure to no avail. At the same time, that series was exploring the age of Vikings in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, which made for a great experience but not the one some players were really looking for. So, when Sucker Punch delivered its own adventure, many were penning it as Assassin’s Creed in all but name. But now that Ubisoft has finally taken a trip back to Japan, Ghost of Yotei will likely not have the same success.
Ghost of Yotei May Not Have the Same Success
Unlike Ghost of Tsushima, Ghost of Yotei is launching shortly after Assassin’s Creed Shadows. This means that players will have already spent the first half of this year exploring Japan, and Sucker Punch is hoping they will do it all over again in the latter half of the year. Not only may the games be too similar to go from one to the next, but even if they are not, players will no doubt endlessly compare the two. Already, Ghost of Tsushima was being compared to Assassin’s Creed, so now that the franchise is actually exploring the same location, those comparisons will only become more prevalent.
On top of that, Ubisoft has plans for many post-launch updates to Assassin’s Creed Shadows, with some likely launching around the same time as Ghost of Yotei‘s release. That means that the game will have significantly increased competition, so Sucker Punch will need to ensure it knocks it out of the park. Because if the game falters or ends up not matching the heights of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, then players may have little reason to make the jump over.
Of course, Ghost of Yotei will likely have its fans, especially since it is one of the few major PlayStation 5 exclusives of 2025. That being said, Assassin’s Creed Shadows may have put it in a tough spot as it will no longer be filling a void. It remains to be seen just how much of an effect that will have, and even if it does hurt the game a bit, it will still be nice to see numerous action adventures within Japan. Having more options is always a good thing, even if it also means increased competition for the studios.
- Released
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March 20, 2025
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language