Assassin’s Creed Shadows performed way better than expected, helping Ubisoft exceed its own revenue predictions. Besides the long-awaited feudal Japan setting, one of the key features of the game was the ability to switch between dual protagonists, Naoe and Yasuke. It seems that Ubisoft may experiment with the feature again if there’s a good reason to.
The feature itself isn’t new; Assassin’s Creed Syndicate’s Jacob and Evie Frye also acted as dual protagonists, but they mostly only had cosmetic differences. Naoe and Yasuke are vastly different, with one focused on stealth while the other acts as a tank. Associate game director Simon Lemay-Comtois has said that the backlash that followed Shadows’ launch hasn’t led to Ubisoft abandoning the feature.
Dual Protagonists Could Return In Future Assassin’s Creed Games
“Dual protagonists can be divisive along very strange lines, right?” said Lemay-Comtois in an interview with GamesRadar+. “It’s not just a ‘Well, I prefer a war, therefore I prefer Yasuke.’ Some people just don’t like one character over the other, and they don’t like to spend time with one. It was true with Evie and Jacob, but with Naoe and Yasuke it’s more divisive. And we knew this. We knew going into it, but I think it can split our fan base a little too.”
Traditionally, Assassin’s Creed protagonists would master both stealth and combat. Eivor or Kassanda could perform nimble feats while donned from head to toe in heavy armour. However, Shadows changed that, giving each of the two a specialty. In fact, there are even instances where Yasuke attempts parkour and fails hilariously. Depending on the kind of player you are, you may prefer playing as one over the other.
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Despite the initial backlash over Yasuke’s race, Assassin’s Creed Shadows fared pretty well overall. In fact, we might even see the format return in future games in the series. “I think the learning for us is that, yes, we could do more dual-protagonist games in the future – if we have a good reason to do it narratively and for the setting,” added Lemay-Comtois.
- Released
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March 20, 2025
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language
- Developer(s)
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Ubisoft Quebec
