Assassin's Creed Shadows questions answered: Ubisoft Plus, Xbox Game Pass, PS4 and more explained
Got questions? Thankfully, we have answers!
With Assassin's Creed Shadows launching this week, it's only natural for you to have questions about it.
Here at Radio Times, we've been playing through the game for the last couple of weeks, so we're in a good position to get you some answers.
We've compiled some of the biggest recurring questions we could see around the web, so keep on reading for all of our answers.
We'll bring you more AC Shadows guidance when the game is out. Watch this space, assassins!
Is Assassin's Creed Shadows on Xbox Game Pass or PS Plus?
No, Assassin’s Creed Shadows will not be available on Xbox Game Pass or PS Plus at launch.
Of course, we can't rule out a release on these services at a later date, but that will be at least a few months away.
Is Assassin's Creed Shadows on Ubisoft Plus?
Yes! Ubisoft Plus Premium members paying £14.99 month will be able to access the game on Xbox or PC at launch.
Sadly, we can't see a free trial on Ubisoft Plus Premium right now. So you'll still have to pay for your subscription!
Is Assassin's Creed Shadows on PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch?
No, Assassin’s Creed Shadows is not launching on PS4, Xbox One or Nintendo Switch.
The game is only launching for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Amazon's Luna cloud-streaming platform.
Is Assassin's Creed Shadows on Steam?
Yes, AC Shadows is coming to Steam at launch on 20th March.
The days of Ubisoft locking its games on its own launcher are now officially over.
What are the Assassin's Creed Shadows PC requirements?
The minimum requirements to play Assassin’s Creed Shadows on PC are:
- Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
- OS: Windows 10/11
- Processor: Intel Core™ i7 8700k/AMD Ryzen 5 3600
- Memory: 16GB RAM
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 8GB/AMD Radeon™ RX 5700 8GB/Intel Arc A580 8GB (REBAR ON)
- DirectX: Version 12
- Storage: 115GB available space
The recommended specs are:
- Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
- OS: Windows 10/11
- Processor: Intel Core i5 11600k/AMD Ryzen 5 5600x
- Memory: 16GB RAM
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060Ti 8GB/AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT 12GB/Intel Arc B580 12GB (REBAR ON)
- DirectX: Version 12
- Storage: 115GB available space
What is the pre-order bonus?
If you pre-order any edition, you’ll get one new quest at launch (called Thrown to the Dogs) and a 10-hour expansion called Claws of Awaji later in 2025.
The dog quest unlocks after the prologue and a brief period where Naoe is recovering from some injuries. You'll see it pop up on your map as soon as you're let loose in the open world.
Check out our page on all the different AC Shadows editions to learn more about what you get with each edition.
How long is it?
Playing through the game should take 30 to 40 hours, but you could spend a lot more time if you wanted to collect everything.
Where and when does it take place?
The game is set in Feudal Japan in the year 1579.
This places it after Origins, Odyssey, Valhalla and Mirage by quite some distance.
In terms of the overall timeline, the historical action of Shadows slots between Black Flag and Rogue.
Why was it delayed?
The developers have said that the delays to the game were "to further refine and polish Assassin's Creed Shadows".
They needed more time to "implement [fan] feedback and ensure an even more ambitious and engaging day-one experience".
How much does it cost?
The RRP is £59.99 for the Standard Edition or £74.99 for the Digital Deluxe Edition.
If you’re looking for a deal, we can see that CD Keys is selling the PC version for £41.79.
Is it multiplayer co-op?
No, despite having two playable characters, this is strictly a single-player game.
Who plays the main characters?
Naoe is played by Japanese-American actor and singer name Masumi Tsunoda, while Yasuke is played by a Zimbabwean actor and singer named Tongayi Chirisa.
The former previously starred in a film called Yakuza Princess, while the latter had a role in Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.
See our cast page for more details on the actors in the game!
What is the difference between the characters?
Naoe is better for climbing and exploring, while Yasuke is better for taking on big groups of enemies.
Naoe is a shinobi ninja assassin - her gameplay is focused more on stealthy kills and agility of movement.
Yasuke is a samurai - his gameplay is more tank-like, smashing through doors and overpowering opponents.
Is Yasuke based on a real person?
Thanks to James Osborne from HistoryExtra for providing this answer. Yes, Yasuke is based on a real samurai!
Writing for HistoryExtra, historian Thomas Lockley explains that Yasuke was an African man who arrived in Japan in 1579. His presence didn't go unnoticed, as many Japanese people had never seen someone who looked like him before.
Oda Nobunaga, one of Japan's most powerful warlords at the time, was particularly intrigued by Yasuke and took him into his service. Nobunaga elevated Yasuke the status of samurai 1581, making him the first recorded foreign-born individual to receive this honour.
But, Yasuke's time as a samurai was short-lived as during one Nobunaga military campaigns in 1582, his forces were defeated, and Yasuke was captured by Nobunaga's enemies.
We know that Yasuke's life was spared, but from then onwards, what happened to him after his remarkable ascent through Japanese society - where he went, how he died - is pretty much a mystery.
What do BCE and CE mean?
You’ll see this dating system on the Animus menu that shows the recent games in story order. BCE means Before Common Era, and CE means Common Era.
These can be used interchangeably with the religious dating system of Before Christ and After Death. You might remember 'BC' and 'AD' from school!
What does Chichiue mean?
If you’ve started the game, you will have heard this word a lot in the prologue! It’s a fairly formal Japanese word for 'father'.
By entering your details you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and privacy policy. You can unsubscribe at any time.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
How do you unlock Yasuke?
After the prologue, you will not unlock Yasuke for quite a while!
You have to complete the two assassinations on Naoe’s to-do list first.
Then, the next assassination you get sent to do will lead to Naoe and Yasuke meeting and teaming up.
After that, the first act of the story will end and you will now be able to swap between them at will from the inventory menu. Getting this point took us 8.5 hours.
How big is the map?
The Assassin’s Creed Shadows map is roughly the same size as the Ancient Egypt map from AC Origins, the developers have confirmed. That makes it around 80km squared.
How big is the file size?
The Assassin’s Creed Shadows file size is 123GB, making it only slightly smaller than Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.
Is it good?
Yes! I gave it four stars, out of five, in my AC Shadows review.
The characters and story are really strong, there’s loads to discover in the open world, and the combat is challenging without being annoying.
The tone and pacing of the game sometimes feels a bit wonky, but overall it’s a really good time.
Is it difficult?
I’ve been playing Assassin’s Creed Shadows on normal difficulty and I’ve found that to be just right.
There is an element of challenge - staying unseen in stealth, or staying unharmed in combat, does take some skill, but I haven’t got stuck on one mission for too long in any case.
The game has robust options to let you tailor difficulty to your tastes, too.
Does it have Twitch Drops?
Yes, there are Twitch drops for AC Shadows - check out this article for all the details!
There’s a headband, an armour set, and a weapon up for grabs if you watch the game on Twitch.
Does it have Photo Mode?
Yes, AC Shadows does have photo mode at launch. The game’s official social accounts have confirmed it!
When does it release?
AC Shadows will launch on Thursday 20th March. Here in the UK, the console version unlocks at midnight and the PC version will follow at 4am on Steam.
Or if you play on Ubisoft Connect, you can start early on PC at 10pm on Wednesday.
Is there AC Shadows early access?
No, there is no official early access period for Assassin's Creed Shadows.
Whichever version you pre-ordered, you don't get a head start this time around.
You can start slightly earlier on Ubisoft Connect (see above), or the only other option to get in early is to do the infamous 'New Zealand trick' on your Xbox.
If you were wondering, the game unlocks on Xbox in New Zealand at midnight NZST on Thursday.
That translates to UK time as 11am Wednesday here in the UK — so, if you can be bothered to tinker with your Xbox settings, you do have that option available for some sneaky early access. The ninjas in the game would be proud.
Check out more of our Gaming coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Authors
Rob Leane is the Gaming Editor at Radio Times, overseeing our coverage of the biggest games on PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, PC, mobile and VR. Rob works across our website, social media accounts and video channels, as well as producing our weekly gaming newsletter. He has previously worked at Den of Geek, Stealth Optional and Dennis Publishing.
