The Assassin’s Creed games have always told two parallel stories – one of historical fiction and fantasy that explores various periods in the real world, and the other of the modern narrative of two competing groups trying to make sense of this history. As time goes on, modern storylines in the Assassin’s Creed games have become an afterthought, with each game becoming less and less concerned with present-day narratives. There may be opportunities for this approach. Ubisoft said Assassin’s Creed: Shadows will tell a new modern story that “creates meaningful contrasts between the past and the present.”
The modern story of Assassin’s Creed: Shadows
According to Eurogamer, Ubisoft vice president and Assassin’s Creed executive producer Marc-Alexis Coté spoke at a British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) event last week about refreshing the current storyline in the next Assassin’s Creed game. Kotter said that contemporary narratives in recent Assassin’s Creed games have become “repetitive” and not tied to the action-packed past timeline – “more of a side mission than an integral part of the overall experience.”
“As we move forward, our goal is to put history back at the center of the player experience,” Cotter reportedly said at the event. “Modern storytelling will help enhance, rather than obscure, the historical journey. By creating meaningful contrasts between the past and present, we aim to restore the balance that was once a hallmark of the series.”
The Ubisoft executive said the series’ modern-day stories will explore themes of “memory, identity and autonomy,” creating meaningful connections between the past and present.
“The foundations of this new direction will be formed in Assassin’s Creed: Shadows, which will set the stage for a growing narrative evolution in the coming years,” he said.
The original game in the series told the modern-day story of Desmond Miles, a descendant of popular series protagonist Ezio Auditore da Firenze and a member of the Assassin order. Miles’ story concluded in 2012’s Assassin’s Creed 3, and Ubisoft has since worked hard to bring meaningful contemporary storylines into subsequent AC games.
Desmond Miles’ storyline wrapped up in Assassin’s Creed 3
Image source: Ubisoft
While the publisher has yet to reveal details about Assassin’s Creed: Shadows’ modern narrative, the action-adventure game is set in 16th-century Japan. The game will feature two protagonists, samurai Yasuke and ninja Naoe, both members of the Assassin Brotherhood.
Assassin’s Creed: Shadows was originally slated to release on November 15, but Ubisoft delayed the game’s release after the disappointing release of Star Wars: Outlaws. The next Assassin’s Creed game has faced serious backlash since its release – some of it legitimate criticism of its pricing and release strategy; others in the form of racist vitriol towards one of the game’s two protagonists, real-life historical figure Yasuke, a samurai of African descent.
The game is now available for release on February 14, 2025, on PC (also on Steam), PS5, and Xbox Series S/X.
