Benoit has been working at Ubisoft for nearly 20 years, having contributed to projects like Assassin’s Creed Black Flag, Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, For Honor, Watch Dogs, Immortals Fenyx Rising, and now as Game Director on Assassin’s Creed Shadows. In talking with Benoit, we learned more about the decision to set the game in feudal Japan, how the dual protagonist system has been improved since Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, and how this newest game will fit within the continuity and evolution of the RPG mechanics from Origin, Odyssey, and Valhalla.
Fans have been waiting for a feudal Japanese Assassin’s Creed for many years – why was now the right time?
Game Director Charles Benoit: After each new installment, we look at a wide range of possible settings and what would make the most sense for the brand, between our past and future projects. We felt that feudal Japan was the best fit right now, with our two core pillars as the focus, combat, and stealth, and how it fit the best with Japan’s unique fantasies of the Samurai and the Shinobi.
This is a familiar setting for gamers – how does this game differentiate its take on the setting?
Benoit: We’re at the end of Sengoku era, in a turning point of Japan history. Assassin’s Creed is well known for its depiction of the history and accurate recreation of the world and it’s what players can expect with Assassin’s Creed Shadows.
We’re showing real historical figures, such as Oda Nobunaga and a lot of events that happened during that time, so you’re not only playing in feudal Japan, but learning about this fantastic time period.
Also, we’re giving the opportunity to the players to live not just one, but the two best fantasies of Japan: the Samurai and Shinobi.
