Sucker Punch Productions / Ubisoft / FXFeudal Japan has been one of the stealthy and stabby franchise’s most requested settings, and it’s finally here with Assassin’s Creed Shadows.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows has gone all the way from Ancient Greece to Victorian London, and the latest entry puts us in the shoes of Yasuke, a real-life African samurai, and Naoe, an assassin and daughter of the famous ninja, Fujibayashi Nagato.
The series has always been rooted in history, so we’re breaking down exactly when and where Assassin’s Creed Shadows takes place, alongside how that relates to the AC timeline and other media set in historical Japan including Ghost of Tsushima and Shogun.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows setting explained
Assassin’s Creed Shadows is set in 1579 during the Azuchi-Momoyama period as the Sengoku era comes to an end.
1579 has a handful of major moments in Japanese history, including the second siege of Arioka Castle and the arrival of Yasuke, the African Samurai who you play as.
Elsewhere in the world, Elizabeth I was on the English throne, and Francis Drake landed in California, calling it “New Albion.”
UbisoftWhere is it set?
Assassin’s Creed Shadows is set in Japan, but to be more specific, the action takes place in central Japan.
Takeda Castle can be seen in the cinematic trailer, and we know that Kyoto and Osaka will be major cities to visit. Plus, you can head to the island of Awaji as part of the Claws of Awaji expansion later in 2025. You’ll be able to get this expansion free as a pre-order bonus, so make sure you’re quick.
Shadows place in the Assassin’s Creed timeline
- Assassin’s Creed Odyssey – 431-422 BC
- Assassin’s Creed Origins – 49-38 BC
- Assassin’s Creed Mirage – 861
- Assassin’s Creed Valhalla – 872-878
- Assassin’s Creed – 1191
- Assassin’s Creed II – 1476-1499
- Assassin’s Creed movie – 1492
- Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood – 1499-1507
- Assassin’s Creed Revelations – 1511-1512
- Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: China – 1526
- Assassin’s Creed Shadows – 1579
- Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag – 1715-1722
- Assassin’s Creed Rogue – 1752-1776
- Assassin’s Creed III – 1754-1783
- Assassin’s Creed Unity – 1789-1794
- Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: India – 1841
- Assassin’s Creed Syndicate – 1868
- Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: Russia – 1918
Assassin’s Creed Shadows is set between Revelations and Black Flag, but there’s a 200-year gap between those games, so don’t expect to see any of your favorite characters appear in Japan. Well, maybe except for Odyssey’s Kassandra.
UbisoftAssassin’s Creed Shadows setting compared
- Ghost of Tsushima – 1274
- Shogun: Total War – 1467
- Total War: Shogun 2 – 1545
- Nioh 2 – 1555
- Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice – ~1570
- Assassin’s Creed Shadows – 1579
- Shogun – 1600
- Nioh – 1600
- Onimusha: Way of the Sword – Edo era (1600-1868)
- Ghost of Yotei – 1603
- Like a Dragon: Ishin! – 1860s
- Rise of the Ronin – 1863
- A Total War Saga: Fall of the Samurai – 1864
Sucker Punch ProductionsAlthough barely any of these games (plus the Shogun TV show) are connected, you’ll get an idea of where Shadows lies in Japanese history. Despite being a fantasy story and mostly fictional, Sekiro’s late 1500s setting is the closest. It’s only 21 years before Shogun, so we should get an idea of Japan’s political climate in the years prior.
Ghost of Tsushima is set hundreds of years before, and Rise of the Ronin is set three hundred years later. But, if you’re looking for something similar that’s set around the same time, you can look forward to Ghost of Yotei later in 2025.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows arrives on March 20, so be sure to check out the release times and our ranking of every AC game in the meantime.
