Ubisoft’s decision to drop social stealth in Assassin’s Creed Shadows has raised concerns. Does this move compromise the game’s setting?

Assassin’s Creed Shadows has been under fire from the gaming community ever since its initial announcement. From the controversial choice of protagonists, like Yasuke to Naoe’s rigid gameplay showcase, the game has been in a constant struggle to win over the fans.

The game has been delayed once again. | Image Credit: Ubisoft

After a delay and some hopeful promises, it seemed like the studio might be back on track. With another delay now announced, fans are once again left hanging. However, since this delay is meant to address some additional player feedback, does this mean there is a chance for the return of social stealth in Shadows?

Removal of social stealth hurts Assassin’s Creed Shadows

The removal of social stealth was a huge blow for fans. | Image Credit: Ubisoft

In earlier Assassin’s Creed games, social stealth was a crucial mechanic that allowed players to blend seamlessly into crowds and avoid detection by guards or other enemies. All players had to do was walk at a normal pace and stay within the flow of a group, making them essentially disappear in plain sight.

This feature created an immersive sense of being an Assassin who could slip through bustling cities or quiet towns, allowing players to hide among civilians without raising suspicion. However, Shadows will not feature this beloved mechanic.

Ubisoft has confirmed earlier that social stealth will be absent from the game, much to the disappointment of fans.

While on the samurai protagonist, Yasuke, the feature wouldn’t have suited much due to his characteristics of being a combat-based brute-force character, the ninja protagonist, Naoe, would have greatly benefited from the ability to blend into crowds.

Got an update from Ubisoft about social stealth in AC Shadows, after their producer mis-spoke when contrasting Yasuke’s and Naoe’s abilities to be stealthy

– No classic social stealth, even for Naoe
– But she is unnoticed in crowds by default; he’s nothttps://t.co/LKc4jeKDY2 pic.twitter.com/fxmLR3KKwL

— Stephen Totilo (@stephentotilo) June 14, 2024

Instead, Naoe will only rely on more basic stealth options like hiding in shadows or staying out of sight. But without the social stealth mechanic, the character’s connection to stealth, and the immersive opportunities that come with it, feels very much diminished.

This is a massive missed opportunity by Ubisoft

The mechanic would have added a new level of immersion. | Image Credit: Ubisoft

The social stealth mechanic has been a staple of the Assassin’s Creed franchise for years. It was the mechanic that allowed players to immerse themselves and actually feel like true Assassins, who could move unnoticed and interact naturally with the environment.

Now, with Assassin’s Creed Shadows set in feudal Japan, the absence of this mechanic feels even more out of place. Japan is the land of the ninja, who are known for their stealth and deception techniques. Instead of leaning more into this, the studio is moving away from it.

Had Ubisoft kept this feature, Shadows could have truly embraced the versatility of the shinobi, marking this as a massive missed opportunity.

Rather than allowing Naoe to vanish into the crowd, it has opted for a more simplistic approach, where stealth relies on avoiding detection through basic hiding mechanics, totally ruining the appeal of being an assassin.

While Assassin’s Creed Shadows is still set to offer a unique experience, the removal of social stealth raises questions about why the studio is moving away from the core mechanics that made earlier titles so engaging.

In the end, as a fan, we can only hope that another delay will address this massive oversight from the studio and bring back the immersive stealth elements that have been a hallmark of the series.