Ubisoft Unveils Major Changes to Exploration in Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Assassin’s Creed Shadows, the latest entry in the beloved series, is set to shake things up when it comes to exploration. Ubisoft has recently revealed significant changes to how players will navigate the world, promising a more immersive and player-driven experience.

Less Map Icons, More Player-Driven Exploration

In a recent blog post, Ubisoft shared that Assassin’s Creed Shadows will move away from the traditional model of bombarding players with map icons and markers. Instead, the game will focus on rewarding players with information as they explore the vast open world. Players will need to actively seek out key locations, uncovering details through spies, NPCs, and their own discoveries.

The world map in Shadows will initially provide only region names and vague hints at potential locations, encouraging players to delve deeper into the world to uncover more details. The familiar synchronization points, which previously revealed an array of map icons, will now highlight nearby points of interest that players can tag and add to their compass.

A New Approach to Exploration Mechanics

Assassin’s Creed Shadows introduces a fresh take on classic exploration features. Players will no longer have the companion eagle to assist them in scouting the area. Instead, they must find vantage points to manually locate valuable items, enemies, and other elements of interest.

Additionally, safe houses, known as “kakurega,” will serve as secure fast travel points and offer various useful functions such as refilling supplies, managing contracts, and accessing gear stash. The Objective Board in Shadows expands to reveal new targets and objectives, requiring players to piece together clues for specific directions.

Pathfinder Tool for Efficient Travel

With more unclimbable terrain in the game, Assassin’s Creed Shadows introduces the Pathfinder tool to help players navigate tricky landscapes. This feature will draw a white line overlay on the ground, showing the shortest route to a player’s destination when a quest is tracked or a marker is manually placed on the map.

These changes aim to provide players with a more intentional and engaging exploration experience, emphasizing discovery and rewarding curiosity. With Assassin’s Creed Shadows set to release on March 20th, players can look forward to a fresh take on exploration in the iconic franchise.