Assassin’s Creed Shadows will lay the foundation for a new modern story
Assassin’s Creed games have always told two parallel stories: one is a historical fiction and fantasy that explores different time periods in the real world, and the other is a modern story of two competing groups trying to make sense of that history. Over time, the modern storylines in Assassin’s Creed titles have become an afterthought, with each game becoming less and less concerned with the contemporary story. That approach probably offers an opportunity. Ubisoft has said that Assassin’s Creed Shadows will tell a new modern story that will create “a meaningful contrast between past and present.”
The modern story of Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Ubisoft vice president and executive producer of Assassin’s Creed Marc-Alexis Coté spoke at a BAFTA event last week about revamping the current storyline in the next Assassin’s Creed game, while reported from Eurogamer. Coté said that the modern-day story in recent Assassin’s Creed games had become “repetitive” and a prerequisite to the action-packed timeline of the past – “more of a side quest than an integral part of the overall experience.”
“As we move forward, our goal is to put history back at the center of the players’ experience,” Coté reportedly said at the event. “The modern story will enhance rather than overshadow the historical journey. By creating a meaningful contrast between past and present, we aim to restore the balance that was once the hallmark of the franchise.”
The Ubisoft executive said the modern-day story in the future series will explore themes of “memory, identity and autonomy,” making meaningful connections between the past and the present.
“The foundation for this new direction will take shape with Assassin’s Creed Shadows, which will lay the foundation for this narrative evolution that will grow in the coming years,” he said.
The original series of games in the series followed the current story of Desmond Miles, a descendant of popular protagonist Ezio Auditore da Firenze and a member of the Assassin’s Order. Miles’ story was completed in 2012’s Assassin’s Creed 3 and Ubisoft, and has since struggled to bring meaningful contemporary storylines into subsequent AC games.
Desmond Miles’ storyline was wrapped up in Assassin’s Creed 3
Photo credit: Ubisoft
While the publisher hasn’t shared any details about Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ modern story, the action-adventure title’s historical story is set in 16th-century Japan. The game will feature dual protagonists: the samurai Yasuke and the shinobi Naoe, both part of the Brotherhood of Assassins.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows was initially scheduled for release on November 15, but Ubisoft postponed the game after the disappointing launch of Star Wars Outlaws. The next Assassin’s Creed title has faced severe backlash since its reveal – some in the form of justified criticism of its pricing and launch strategy; others in the form of racist vitriol about one of the game’s two protagonists, the real-life historical figure Yasuke, a samurai of African descent.
The game will now be released on PC (with a simultaneous launch on Steam), PS5 and Xbox Series S/X on February 14, 2025.
