Assassin’s Creed Shadows trailer reveals dual protagonists in feudal Japan

Assassin’s Creed Shadows will release this November

Assassin's Creed Shadows has two protagonists. / Ubisoft

Ubisoft has finally revealed Assassin’s Creed Shadows, formally going by Codename Red with a cinematic trailer. The game, developed by Ubisoft Quebec with assistance from Montreal, will be set in 16th century Japan, and feature two playable protagonists.

Watch the trailer below:

The two protagonists of Shadows are Yasuke, the first Black Samurai, and Naoe, an original shinobi for the game. The game’s cover art along with the trailer suggest that both will have distinct play styles, similar to how Jacob and Evie Frye played in Assassin’s Creed Syndicate. And yes, just like Syndicate, Shadows also gives players a grappling hook to climb towers faster.

As rumors suggested, it looks like Ubisoft is rewriting history with a new backstory for Yasuke. Shōgun fans may find some extra similarities between Yasuke and Blackthorne’s story about their arrival in Japan. The game will also feature notable Japanese historical figures such as Oda Nobunaga, Fujibayashi Nagato and Hattori Hanzō.

Unlike last year's refreshing Assassin's Creed Mirage, Shadows will be another big open-world RPG, mildly shaking up the formula established by Origins, Odyssey, and Valhalla. And yes, releasing a big RPG right after a major Star Wars game does seem risky, but hey, go big or go home, right?

Assassin’s Creed Shadows price, season pass and editions

Assassin's Creed Shadows comes in three editions. / Ubisoft

Assassin’s Creed Shadows will be available in three editions:

• Assassin’s Creed Shadows Standard Edition - $69.99
• Assassin’s Creed Shadows Gold Edition - $109.99
• Assassin’s Creed Shadows Ultimate Edition - $129.99

Besides these, Ubisoft has also listed a season pass which is included in the Gold and Ultiamte Editions, and it includes the following content:

• Exclusive “Thrown to the Dogs" quest
• Two upcoming expansions

Yasuke and Naoe both have different approaches to quests. / Ubisoft

The Gold edition of the game includes the following:

• Assassin’s Creed Shadows full game
• Season pass
• 5 skill points
• Sekiryu Character Pack
• Sekiryu Hideout Pack
• Red Dragon filter in Photo mode
• 3 Day Early Access (with pre-order)

Those who pre-order the game can access the "Thrown to the Dogs" quest. Like previous RPG-inspired entries in the franchise, Assassin’s Creed Shadows will include an in-game store for cosmetics. Additionally, Ubisoft will also sell a Collector's Edition that includes the following:

• Assassin’s Creed Shadows Ultimate Edition
• Naoe and Yasuke dual character statue
• Unique Steelbook case
• Collector’s art book (84 pages)
• Life-sized Naoe’s katana tsuba
• World map
• Creed wall scroll
• 2 sumi-e lithographs

It’s also the first game to be released as part of the Assassin’s Creed Infinity hub. The hub will unite all future AC games, including Codename Hexe, the next game in the franchise. Infinity will also be the platform through which Ubisoft will explore more multiplayer-centric titles or experimental modes like VR in the series.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows will be released on PC, PS5, Macs with Apple Silicon (M1 and above) and Xbox Series X|S on November 15, 2024.