Assassin's Creed Shadows is an open-world action RPG developed by Ubisoft Quebec (with support from other Ubisoft studios) and published by Ubisoft. It is set in Japan from 1579, in the final years of the Sengoku period. You play two characters: Fujibayashi Naoe, a shinobi (kunoichi) built around stealth, and Yasuke, an African samurai in Oda Nobunaga's service, built around direct combat. You can switch between them, including during missions.
The map is set in the Kansai region of Japan and is roughly comparable in size to Assassin's Creed Origins. Seasons change the world: for example, ponds where Naoe can hide underwater freeze over in winter. Targets are not marked on the map by default; you recruit scouts who narrow down locations from clues, and the missions can be tackled in a non-linear order.
The story follows Naoe's revenge quest and Yasuke's path after Nobunaga's death. The two eventually join forces against the Templar Order and the Shinbakufu, a group led by the former shogun Ashikaga Yoshiaki.
Naoe is the stealth and mobility character; Yasuke is the heavy melee fighter. You can switch between them, including during missions, and each has their own weapons and skill trees.
Seasons change the world and some mechanics. In winter, for example, the shallow water Naoe uses to hide freezes over.
Targets and key NPCs are hidden by default. You recruit scouts who narrow down locations from clues, and the Observe mode helps you gather information on targets.
Katana, kanabo, naginata, kusarigama, yumi bow, teppo matchlock rifle, shuriken and kunai, each with its own skill tree.
Assassin's Creed Shadows launched on 20 March 2025 on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and macOS, and came to Nintendo Switch 2 on 2 December 2025. An iPad version is still to be announced.
The paid expansion Claws of Awaji, developed by Ubisoft Bordeaux and set on Awaji Island, released on 16 September 2025. Free Story Drops ran from May 2025 to June 2026 and included small quest updates, crossovers and a Nightmare difficulty; the final major update arrived on 16 June 2026.
Read the overview and the beginner's guide.
Release facts, mechanics and boss details on this page were checked against these sources on 12 October 2026. Spotted an error? Tell us.