Ubisoft explains why Assassin's Creed Shadows ditched social stealth, but says it's likely not gone for good: "Our stealth team chose to put 100% of their energy on the moment-to-moment tactical shinobi experience"
Smile and wave boys
Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
Want to add more newsletters?
Every Friday
GamesRadar+
Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.
Every Thursday
GTA 6 O'clock
Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.
Every Friday
Knowledge
From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.
Every Thursday
The Setup
Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.
Every Wednesday
Switch 2 Spotlight
Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.
Every Saturday
The Watchlist
Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.
Once a month
SFX
Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!
Ubisoft has confirmed that social stealth mechanics aren't completely banished from the Assassin's Creed series, even if they are absent in Shadows.
Assassin's Creed has a ton of series staples throughout its history, not all of them are good as the copious amount of tailing missions across the series will tell you. But as the series has evolved, the change in style has meant leaving some of these behind. Assassin's Creed Shadows ditched the social stealth mechanics that would previously allow you to chill out in the middle of a crowd after stabbing someone in the back of the head and waiting it out until the local guards give up their search (as if a cloaked figure randomly walking into the middle of a group wouldn't cause the group to freak out, cause that's incredibly suspicious).
In an Assassin's Creed Shadows 'ask me anything' over on Reddit, Ubisoft developers "Simon, André and Luc" were asked if we can expect social stealth elements to make a comeback in the series after they were absent from Shadows. Simon explains: "For Shadows, our stealth team chose to put 100% of their energy on the moment-to-moment tactical shinobi experience, which left no space for Social Stealth."
However, they offer a little hope for the fan who says that they find social stealth "crucial for the identity of the game" by saying: "That does not mean that Social Stealth is gone from the Assassin's Creed franchise, though!" So those of you who need to hang out in random groups of NPCs can rest easy, as the mechanic will likely return.
Be sure to check out our Assassin's Creed Shadows review to find out why it's on our list of the best Assassin's Creed games.
Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

Scott has been freelancing for over three years across a number of different gaming publications, first appearing on GamesRadar+ in 2024. He has also written for the likes of PC Gamer, Eurogamer, VG247, Play, TechRadar, and others. He's typically rambling about Metal Gear Solid, God Hand, or any other PS2-era titles that rarely (if ever) get sequels.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.


