Ubisoft has given some insight as to how long the main storyline in the upcoming Assassin's Creed Shadows might take to complete, and while the actual figure is somewhat hard to determine, it seems comparable to other recent entries. Assassin's Creed Shadows is set to return the franchise to the action RPG formula of previous entries, which may justify its length.
Assassin's Creed has evolved a lot as the gaming industry continues to grow and shift with time, going from a grounded retooling of a Prince of Persia prototype to a full-fledged action RPG franchise with its latest entries. With Assassin's Creed Mirage taking things a step back to a shorter, more concise approach to storytelling and a smaller map, however, it has led to some questions regarding the scale of the series' latest entry.
Luckily, a Reddit AMA with some developers at Ubisoft served to answer some of these questions, one of which specifically regarded the length of the game's storyline as compared to previous games in the franchise. One developer responded to the question by stating that it is comparable to the average lengths of previous RPG Assassin's Creed entries, but that the true length was hard to determine.
Ubisoft Developers Clear the Air on Assassin's Creed Shadows' Length
According to the developers, the various open-world elements in Assassin's Creed Shadows make it difficult to tell exactly how long the story might take to finish, given how much there is for players to do in the game. Also mentioned is the incorporation of a "canon mode" option to play through the story without branching storyline choices for fans who want to play the original story without any role-playing consequences.
The Reddit thread also posed questions about the modern-day storyline in the new Assassin's Creed, something which has been a staple of the series since the original game back in 2007. While the developers did not provide anything concrete so as not to spoil the game, they did tease the beginning of a new storyline, seemingly moving on from the previous modern protagonist.
The franchise has had an ongoing modern-day storyline since the original game, which followed modern assassin and fan favorite Desmond Miles, before concluding his storyline in Assassin's Creed 3. From there, the series moved on with subsequent entries and eventually landed on a new protagonist, Layla Hassan, who fans last saw in Assassin's Creed Valhalla, but will seemingly not return for Shadows.
Assassin's Creed Shadows
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 81 /100 Critics Rec: 82%
- Released
- March 20, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language
- Developer(s)
- Ubisoft Quebec
- Publisher(s)
- Ubisoft
WHERE TO PLAY
Experience an epic historical action-adventure story set in feudal Japan! Become a lethal shinobi Assassin and a powerful legendary samurai as you explore a beautiful open world in a time of chaos. Switch seamlessly between two unlikely allies as you discover their common destiny. Master complementary playstyles, create your shinobi league, customize your hideout, and usher in a new era for Japan.
• Explore the captivating open world of feudal Japan, from spectacular castle towns and bustling ports to peaceful shrines and war-ravaged landscapes. Adventure through unpredictable weather, changing seasons, and reactive environments.
• Become Naoe, a shinobi Assassin, and Yasuke, a legendary samurai, as you experience their riveting stories and master their complementary playstyles. As Naoe, use stealth to avoid detection and agility to confound your enemies. As Yasuke, strike your foes with lethal precision and power. Unlock new skills, gear, and progression independently for each character.
• Make information your weapon as you explore the world, and build your own network of spies to be your eyes and ears across locations to hunt down your next target. Along the way, recruit new allies with unique abilities to help accomplish your missions.
• Create a fully customizable hideout for your growing shinobi league as you train your crew, craft new gear, interact with key characters, and choose your base’s layout, decorations, and accessories.
- Engine
- AnvilNext
- Franchise
- Assassin's Creed
- Number of Players
- 1
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Unknown
- PC Release Date
- March 20, 2025
- Xbox Series X|S Release Date
- March 20, 2025
- PS5 Release Date
- March 20, 2025
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- X|S Optimized
- Yes
