Assassin’s Creed Shadowsjoins a complicated series timeline, spanning centuries of world history. As the latest entry inthe long-runningAssassin’s Creedseries,Shadowshas been a long-awaited entry. In a series that’s covered Renaissance Italy, revolutionary France, and New Kingdom Egypt, feudal Japan has always been one of the most requested settings.Assassin’s Creed Shadowsrevels in that anticipation, depicting this turbulent time in historyfrom two different perspectives: that of the shinobi and the samurai.
Assassin’s Creed Shadowsfalls in a curious place on theAssassin’s Creedtimeline overall. It’s set in an underrepresented era we’ve never seen before throughout the rest of the series. Here’s how its setting compares to previous games.
AC Shadows Is Set Between The Ezio Trilogy & Black Flag
The First Mainline AC Game In The 16th Century
To place it in an exact spot on theACtimeline,Assassin’s Creed Shadowslands right between the Ezio trilogy (1476-1507) andBlack Flag(1715-1722). Specifically,Shadowsis set in the late 16th century, beginning in 1579 and spanning a handful of years during the chaotic Azuchi-Momoyama Period. If we include spinoffs, that puts it just under 50 years after the events ofAssassin’s Creed Chronicles: China, and the rumored early 17th-centurysetting of the still-apparently-upcomingCodename Hexe.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows Confirms How Long To Beat & Offers Update On Potential For New Game Plus
Assassin’s Creed Shadows' Creative Director confirms 30-40 hours for the main campaign, with up to 80 hours for completionists
Unfortunately,you won’t see any cameos by Ezio or Kenway(or Shao Jun) inAssassin’s Creed Shadows. Ezio is long dead by the timeShadowsbegins, and Kenway is not yet born. While fan theories of cameos by otherACprotagonists have been floating around, they’d have to take place off-screen, as it’s more or less impossible for any other mainline protagonist to be alive during the events of this game.
AC Shadows Comes Centuries After Valhalla & Mirage
A Great Leap Forward
In terms of more recent entries,Assassin’s Creed Shadowsrepresents a pretty massive timeskip fromValhallaandMirage. Both of the previous games are set in the 9th century -Miragein 853, andValhallabetween 872 and 878.Shadowstakes place 700 years in the future relative to those games.
It represents a willingness by Ubisoft to explore different time periods in theAssassin’s Creedseries, one that’ll hopefully open up even more modern settings as time goes by. Of course, it means thatShadowstakes place in a very different world from what we’ve seen in previous games. Intercontinental trade and travel are becoming more commonplace, and handheld firearms are replacing swords as weapons of war. That means newchanges toShadows' stealth and combat systemsto cope with this more modern (and more deadly) technology.
AC Shadows Takes Place In The 16th Century
The Historical Context Of Sengoku Japan
Assassin’s Creed Shadowsis set during the Azuchi-Momoyama Period, the final stretch of the Sengoku Period, which lasted until the turn of the century in 1600.This was a notoriously chaotic era of Japanese history, characterized by near-constant conflict and civil war between rival warlords. The violence of the period will likely be on full display here: early previews show what’s presumably Naoe’s home burning to the ground.
Among the most powerful of these warlords was Oda Nobunaga, often called the Great Unifier of Japan. Over decades of conquest, Oda managed to bring most of mainland Japan under his control, paving the way for its eventual unification into a single shogunate under the Tokugawa. In-game, he appears to be Naoe and Yasuke’s sworn enemy - she blames him for the destruction of her village. Although Yasuke was historically part of Oda’s ranks, and is expected to fill that same role here, he presumably switches sides to join forces with Naoe as the two share protagonist duties.
One Game-Changing Mode May Have Saved Assassin’s Creed Shadows For Me
Assassin’s Creed Shadows features a game-changing mode that may have not only fixed its story issues but also changed my opinion of the game.
This period also saw increased interaction between Portuguese traders and missionaries and the Japanese population. Set almost 40 years after the arrival of the first Portuguese ship in Japan in 1543,Shadowstakes place in a version of Japan with decades of Portuguese influence under its belt. This will manifest itself in at least one aspect of gameplay:the introduction of matchlock rifles. Brought to Japan by a pair of Portuguese traders, these early firearms quickly became a favorite of Oda Nobunaga’s army - you’re able to even wield one as Yasuke.
Historical context has always been important to theAssassin’s Creedseries. While it’s always striven for entertainment and drama over dead-on historical accuracy, there’s an educational aspect to these games - an opportunity for virtual tourism, not just in another place, but at another time as well. But the series also has its own in-depth chronology to consider, too. Therefore, it’s important to understand whereAssassin’s Creed Shadowsfalls in both real-world history and the internal series timeline to better understand its events.
