Assassin’s Creed Shadows Launches November 15, Features Dual Protagonists in Feudal Japan

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Assassin’s Creed Shadows takes the franchise to 16th century Japan when it launches on November 15 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Amazon Luna, Macs with Apple silicon via the Mac App Store, PC through the Ubisoft Store and the Epic Games Store, and as part of a Ubisoft+ Premium subscription. Players will step into the roles of a Japanese shinobi, Naoe, and – in a series first – a real-life historical samurai, Yasuke.

Ubisoft Quebec’s focus throughout the development of Assassin’s Creed Shadows has been to fulfill two iconic player fantasies – shinobi and samurai – and ensure that its late-Sengoku period setting, known for its political tumult, warfare, and dramatic social reformation, serves as an authentic backdrop for the pair. This means both protagonists offer vastly different gameplay experiences, and overlapping perspectives on a transformative moment in Japanese history.

The Late Sengoku Period

The development team was drawn to the late Sengoku period, also known as the Azuchi-Momoyama era, because it was full of foundational, pivotal events: the late 16th century saw three of Japan's most important and well-known figures successfully take power during an extensive Warring States Period. Social reforms reshaped and reorganized the land, farmers and religious leagues rose up to oppose powerful military clan warlords, and an artistic renaissance began that would later bloom during the Edo period. It was a dramatic era, full of contrast, and the threat of the Portuguese – who had reached Japan a few decades before – loomed large.

Ubisoft Quebec went to great lengths consulting source documentation and building a network of expert historians, professors, and cultural consultants to help the team build a world as