So, you’re looking at the current state of the Animus and wondering what on earth is actually the "newest" game in this never-ending franchise. It’s a mess, honestly. Between the delays, the codenames, and the mobile projects that seem to vanish for years at a time, keeping track is a full-time job.
If we're talking about the big, beefy experience sitting on your shelf right now, that's Assassin's Creed Shadows. It finally dropped in March 2025 after a delay that had everyone biting their nails. But if you’re looking at the horizon for 2026, the conversation has already shifted to Codename Hexe.
People keep acting like Shadows was just "Valhalla in Japan," but that's just not right. It’s actually much weirder and more experimental than that.
Why Assassin's Creed Shadows Still Matters in 2026
Shadows is the first time Ubisoft really leaned into the "dual protagonist" thing since Syndicate, but they didn't just give us two flavors of the same ice cream. You’ve got Naoe, who plays like the classic social stealth assassin we’ve missed, and then you’ve got Yasuke.
Yasuke is the part everyone argued about online, but in the game? He's basically a walking tank. He doesn't hide. He doesn't crouch in bushes. He just breaks things. Playing as a real historical figure—an African samurai in 1579 Japan—changes the vibe. You aren't some anonymous shadow; people stare at you. They react. It adds a layer of "social presence" that the series hasn't really poked at before.
The seasons are the real star, though. This isn't just a visual filter. In winter, ponds freeze over, so you can't dive into them to hide. In spring, the grass grows tall, giving you new places to crawl. It’s probably the most "alive" the world has felt since Unity, even if the RPG bloat is still lurking in the menus.
The Stealth "Reboot"
For years, stealth in this series felt like an afterthought. You could just parry-kill your way through an entire army. Shadows actually tried to fix this.
- Light and Dark: You can finally put out torches and hide in actual shadows. A light meter! In an Assassin's Creed game!
- Going Prone: It took them almost 20 years, but you can finally crawl on your belly. It’s a game-changer for sneaking into those massive Sengoku-era castles.
- No Bird Drone: Thank God. You actually have to use your eyes and ears (and a "Knowledge Rank" system) to find targets instead of just hovering a magical eagle over a camp.
The "Hexe" Mystery: What's Next?
If you’ve already cleared every castle in Japan, you’re likely looking at 2026 as the year of Assassin's Creed Hexe. This is the one being developed by Ubisoft Montreal, and the rumors are... dark.
Unlike the 100-hour marathons of Odyssey or Valhalla, Hexe is being described as a more linear, "focused" experience. Think less "map-clearing simulator" and more "supernatural horror." It's set during the witch trials of the Holy Roman Empire (roughly 16th-century Germany).
Just this month—January 2026—we found out that Christopher Grilli, who wrote Mirage and Origins, is the lead scriptwriter. That’s a huge win for people who want a coherent story instead of just endless side quests. Word on the street is that you play as a woman named Elsa who might actually have some "witchy" abilities. Not like God of War magic, but something grittier.
The 2026 Roadmap Leak
Honestly, Ubisoft’s release schedule looks like they’re trying to bury us in hidden blades. Here’s the gist of what’s supposedly coming or being worked on right now:
- Assassin's Creed Jade: The mobile game set in ancient China. It's been in "development hell" for a bit, but recent Discord leaks from the devs say it's still alive.
- Black Flag Remake: This is the one everyone wants. Leaks suggest it’s being "resynced" with modern tech. If we don't see it by the end of 2026, there might be a riot.
- Invictus: A multiplayer project. Nobody knows if this will be a Fall Guys style romp or something more serious like the old Brotherhood multiplayer.
What Most People Get Wrong
The biggest misconception right now is that the "RPG era" is over. It’s not. Ubisoft is basically splitting the franchise in two. You have the "Infinite" hub which will host both the massive RPGs (like Shadows) and the tighter, experimental games (like Hexe).
Another thing? People think the "Modern Day" story is dead. It’s actually just being moved. Instead of being forced to play as a character in an office every five hours, the meta-narrative is supposedly shifting into the Assassin's Creed Infinity interface itself. It’s a bit meta, and honestly, a little confusing for casual fans.
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Is It Worth Jumping Into Shadows Now?
If you haven't played the newest game yet, 2026 is actually the best time to do it. The "Standard Edition" is usually on sale by now, and the post-launch updates have smoothed out the clunky parkour bugs that plagued the March 2025 launch.
The DLCs have also expanded the map, adding more of the rural Japanese countryside which, thanks to the Anvil pipeline engine, looks absurdly good on a PS5 Pro or a high-end PC. The lighting alone is worth the price of admission.
Actionable Tips for New Players:
- Don't ignore the Hideout: In Shadows, you can actually build your own league of scouts. Use them. They find resources so you don't have to grind the same three outposts.
- Switch characters often: You can play most of the game as either Naoe or Yasuke. If a mission feels frustratingly hard, you're probably using the wrong person. Yasuke can't sneak for beans, and Naoe dies if a guard so much as sneezes on her.
- Turn off the HUD: If you want that Ghost of Tsushima immersion, strip the UI down. The game is designed to be navigated by landmarks, and it's way more rewarding that way.
The franchise is in a weird spot, for sure. It’s trying to be a horror game, a stealth game, a historical simulator, and a live-service platform all at once. Whether it holds together or collapses under its own weight is anyone's guess, but for now, Shadows is the king of the hill until Hexe arrives to haunt our consoles later this year or in early 2027.
If you're jumping back in, start by focusing on the "Shinobi" path in the skill tree—it makes the traversal feel much closer to the roots of the series than the "Samurai" brute-force approach.