Assassin's Creed Shadows Multiplayer Might Just Save the Franchise

The past few months have probably been the worst in Ubisoft's history in terms of their releasing an Assassin's Creed game. Usually, whenever a new Assassin's Creed game is announced, fans are delighted, and Ubisoft banks a ton of cash after its release. But things didn't go the same with the Assassin's Creed Shadows. It first started with the Japanese community reacting to AC Shadows reveal, then Ubisoft refunding AC Shadows pre-orders, and the situation went down to Tencent's Takeover of Ubisoft due to the recent events concerning Ubisoft's financial situation.

Ubisoft surely needed breathing space to rethink their strategy. So, they decided to push the Assassin's Creed Shadows release date to February 2025. While we recommended this to Ubisoft even when the first dispute arose in Japan, things seem to be slowly returning to normal, and the recent AC Shadows leaked gameplay appears to have done them a favor.

Given Ubisoft's track record with previous Assassin's Creed games, it seems like they're going all out with Assassin's Creed Shadows. While exploring Baghdad's settings was fascinating, the more linear gameplay of Assassin's Creed Mirage was somewhat criticized by many, even though some fans liked the game due to its being more connected to the series’ origin. But the upcoming Assassin's Creed game, Shadows, is changing things up a bit while bringing back the modern open-world approach. The newly leaked gameplay showcased new gameplay from Assassin's Creed Shadows, and it gave us a better idea of the dynamic and interactive world that the game will have.

Among the most appealing features is the inclusion of seasonal cycles, in which the weather will alter over time and impact your gameplay. For instance, the season might affect not only the accessibility of specific areas but also the ways in which your character moves throughout the world. Due to this, the gameplay is going to feel much more realistic. In addition, the leak touches on the environmental impacts of the changing weather. For instance, you won't be able to use a frozen haystack as a hiding place in the winter. Things like those definitely help to make it seem realistic.

The leaked gameplay also revealed that the climbable synchronization towers, which formerly showed the entire map with landmarks, have undergone a significant overhaul. In Assassin's Creed Shadows, these towers will serve more as lookouts, highlighting certain areas of the landscape without revealing everything. Another standout aspect of the gameplay is the ability to personalize the hideout. You'll have complete control over the look and feel of your base as you customize every inch of it, from the roof to the interior. Furthermore, there will be a strong emphasis on exploring beyond the completion of quests due to the quantity of secrets in the game.

But things get even better, and if you're a coop or multiplayer fan, this is definitely something to be excited about. Ubisoft is working on a cooperative mode for Assassin's Creed Shadows, which is being referred to as League. The addition of coop or multiplayer features to an Assassin's Creed game is a welcome change of pace since it enriches the gameplay. Although not much has been revealed on this feature yet, the prospect of Yasuke and Naoe combining their separate fighting styles seems compelling. It'll be interesting to see how Ubisoft strikes a balance between the usual solo narration and the multiplayer elements.

Ubisoft clearly had this feature in mind from the start, not as a crutch to cover up the game's delay, because Assassin's Creed League had already been in production before the delay. This multiplayer feature has the potential to be an interesting departure for Assassin's Creed from its typical solo adventure. However, it raises questions about the potential cooperative objectives or challenges, as well as how it will connect to the larger Assassin's Creed storyline. Assassin's Creed Shadows' co-op mode does sound intriguing.

Even the next phase of the Assassin's Creed franchise is promising for multiplayer enthusiasts, with the remake of Assassin's Creed Black Flag Remake in the works and Assassin's Creed: Codename Invictus, a fully multiplayer experience set to release in 2025. Not to mention that Assassin's Creed fans are also very interested in Assassin's Creed: Codename Hexe, as it is said to be the darkest in the series. With this roster, Ubisoft appears to be branching out from its usual formula and catering to players' preferences for single-player and cooperative experiences.