Ubisoft Open to Continuing Assassin’s Creed Shadows Style Dual Protagonists “If We Have Good Reason To,” Says Associate Director
The Assassin’s Creed franchise has traditionally revolved around a single hero, but 2024’s Assassin’s Creed Shadows broke that formula by introducing dual protagonists, Naoe and Yasuke. Their contrasting combat styles and narrative perspectives became a defining element of the experience. According to associate game director Simon Lemay Comtois, Ubisoft is not ruling out revisiting this structure in future entries as long as the decision is rooted in meaningful creative purpose. The comments come from a recent interview with GamesRadar.
The concept of dual protagonists is not entirely new to the franchise. Assassin’s Creed Syndicate experimented with the idea back in 2015 with siblings Jacob and Evie Frye. However, as Lemay Comtois notes, the differences between those characters were largely superficial. “The differences between Evie and Jacob were mostly cosmetic,” he said. “They play very, very similarly, except with very few select skills.”
In contrast, Shadows pushed far more dramatic contrasts in gameplay. Naoe and Yasuke differed not only in narrative identity but in core mechanics, weapon access, and moment to moment playstyle. Naoe favored traditional stealth and precision, while Yasuke embodied strength and direct confrontation. However, Lemay Comtois acknowledges that such a strong dichotomy comes with risks. “Dual protagonists can be divisive along very strange lines,” he said. “Some people just don’t like one character over the other, and they don’t like to spend time with one. We knew this going into it.”
Still, Ubisoft is not abandoning the idea. Instead, the takeaway for the studio is strategic application rather than defaulting back to a single protagonist. “Yes, we could do more dual protagonist games in the future if we have a good reason to do it narratively and for the setting,” Lemay Comtois emphasized.
The idea gains even more relevance as Ubisoft shifts toward a more live service oriented structure across its flagship franchises. The introduction of the Animus Hub, post launch expansions for Shadows, and Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot’s comments about prioritizing open world and live service initiatives all support the notion that the series is evolving toward an always on ecosystem.
Dual protagonists could play a role in that evolution, potentially allowing diverse quest lines, seasonal updates, and character specific content drops that reinforce player retention. While the narrative justification must remain strong, the structural flexibility aligns well with Ubisoft’s broader live service ambitions.
Whether future Assassin’s Creed games will follow Shadows’ dual hero approach remains to be seen. But with the studio open to the idea and the franchise expanding its long term roadmap, players may not have seen the last of multi character Assassin’s Creed storytelling.
Would you like to see dual protagonists return in future Assassin’s Creed titles? Or do you prefer a single focused hero? Share your view.
