Assassin's Creed Shadows release date and everything we know so far
Assassin’s Creed Shadows (previously Codename Red) has now been officially revealed. After a new cinematic trailer, the next entry into the long-running action series is quickly becoming one of the most anticipated upcoming games. Taking place in one of the most-demanded settings by fans, if you’re a fan of the Assassin’s Creed franchise, this is a game worth keeping an eye on.
There’s still a lot to learn about how Assassin's Creed Shadows plans to become one of the best Assassin's Creed games, but thanks to some recent showings, we've now got a lot more information to go on. We now know what the protagonists look like, and when the game will launch, later this year. Thanks to a showing at Summer Games Fest, we also got to go hands-on with the game. Check out our Assassin's Creed Shadows preview to read what we thought of the upcoming action-RPG.
Given that there's likely even more information to come, we'll be keeping our ears close to the ground and updating this page with anything more concrete as we get it. Here’s everything we know about Assassin's Creed Shadows so far.
Assassin's Creed Shadows - cut to the chase
What is it? The next open-world RPG Assassin’s Creed game
When does it come out? November 15, 2024
What can I play it on? PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S
Who’s making it? Ubisoft (specifically Ubisoft Quebec)
Assassin's Creed Shadows release date
Assassin's Creed Shadows will launch November 15, 2024. When it does, you'll be able to play it on PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC. There's been no word on older platforms, likely meaning that this one will be current-gen only.
Assassin's Creed Shadows trailers
A brand new gameplay trailer was revealed for Assassin's Creed Shadows as part of the Ubisoft Forward event that aired on June 10, 2024. In it, we get 13 minutes of gameplay, split between the two protagonists. Check it out below:
A new Assassin's Creed Shadows trailer was revealed on June 9, 2024. In it, we get a better look at the dual protagonists, Naoe and Yasuke. The release date is also shown at the end. Check it out below:
In the reveal trailer, we also see what we assumed to be the central playable character at the time, atop a building before they unsheathe their hidden blade and a large cloud of black smoke comes in to end the trailer. We received the name “Assassin’s Creed Codename Red” but no further information regarding a release date or any potential platforms. This initial reveal trailer can be seen below:
Assassin's Creed Shadows story and setting
In Assassin’s Creed Shadows, you will live the intertwined stories of Naoe, an adept shinobi Assassin from Iga Province, and Yasuke, the powerful African samurai of historical legend. Against the backdrop of the turbulent late Sengoku period, this duo will discover their common destiny as they usher in a new era for Japan.
Venturing into Japan will be a franchise first and given the detailed environments and locations we’ve already experienced, there’s a lot to expect from feudal Japan. Ubisoft has announced that Assassin’s Creed Shadows will be the “future of our open-world RPG games.” So we expect a lot of exploration and an incredibly interactive environment to set the scene for the next installment.
The story is yet to unfold, but with Japan being one of the most anticipated environments, there’s a strong chance that Shadows could become one of the best Assassin’s Creed games yet, depending on how the game plays out. Marc-Alexis Cote also stated that Shadows is “pushing to have a more dynamic world, a world that evolves around you and we want everything that you have on yourself to evolve as you walk through this environment.” (Thanks, VGC.)
Assassin's Creed Shadows gameplay
Assassin’s Creed Shadows received its first look at gameplay as part of an Xbox Showcase event that aired on June 9, 2024. In it, we see Naoe moving quickly, using a Hidden Blade to take down enemies silently. She also has a chain weapon that can be used to attack multiple enemies at once.
Going off of the three trailers so far, we can see that the first playable character continues the tradition of having a hidden blade, which gives a hint into what we can expect from combat. In addition to this, the Shinobi also has a katana, as well as a longer weapon, which we believe to be the signature weapon of the character.
The second playable character is a samurai called Yasuke. In the second trailer, he is seen using two-handed weapons, and a much more direct fighting style. Just how players will switch between Naoe and Yasuke remains to be seen, but it's likely that each will offer a different skill tree and set of abilities to unlock.
In the most recent gameplay reveal, it is explained that Assassin's Creed Shadows will feature dynamic seasons, with different environmental effects depending on the time of year. In Winter, water may be frozen over, meaning you cannot use it to swim closer to a target, for example. In this presentation, we also see how Naoe uses shadows and darkness for stealth. She can be seen extinguishing lanterns, allowing her to sneak up to enemies. At the end of the demo, Naoe dives underwater, using a reed to breathe while she slowly advances towards the main target. It looks like this will allow players another way to approach kills.
Assassin's Creed Shadows development
While it's got plenty of Assassin's Creed games to share development time with (there's multiple planned for the future, Shadows does have a fairly beefy studio making it. Ubisoft Quebec is heading up the game, and has a rich history in the series.
The studio was behind the Assassin's Creed III and then Black Flag expansions and earned the right to fully develop a mainline entry in the series in Assassin's Creed Syndicate, and then Assassin's Creed Odyssey. Given Shadows is being positioned as the next big open-world RPG game in the series, this pedigree can only inspire confidence.
Assassin's Creed Shadows news
Assassin's Creed Shadows will feature seasons
Thanks to the recent showing at Ubisoft Forward 2024, we know that Assassin's Creed Shadows will feature seasons. In the winter, players may not be able to access underwater paths to get to their targets, while in other seasons, new traversal options may present themselves.
Assassin's Creed Shadows features dual protagonists
Thanks to a recent trailer, we now know that players will be playing as two characters in Assassin's Creed Shadows. One is an assassin/shinobi named Naoe, who possesses a hidden blade. The other is Yasuke, a samurai with hulking black and gold armor.
Assassin's Creed Red is officially titled Assassin's Creed Shadows
Ubisoft has finally revealed the official name of the next Assassin's Creed game. Assassin's Creed Shadows was announced via a Tweet, alongside news of a full reveal event.
