Switch Between Naoe and Yasuke in Assassin’s Creed Shadows: When?

Assassin’s Creed Shadows is set to captivate players with its dual protagonists, Shinobi Naoe and Samurai Yasuke. Yet, leading up to its release, clarity on when and how players could switch between these characters has been somewhat elusive. Let’s break down when you can take control of each protagonist in Assassin’s Creed Shadows.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ Intro Focuses Primarily on Naoe

Naoe in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Image via Ubisoft

The game starts with a linear prologue that lasts approximately 90 minutes, during which players alternate between controlling Naoe and Yasuke at predetermined moments. Post-prologue, however, players remain locked into playing as Naoe for several more hours. This early portion of the game revolves solely around her storyline, leaving Yasuke absent until the Temple of the Horseman Quest. Even then, he only takes the reins briefly during the Fire and Lightning Quest. It isn’t until the conclusion of Act I that players gain the freedom to switch between these protagonists more freely.

How Long Does it Take to Unlock Protagonist Switching?

During my playthrough, reaching the end of Act I and gaining the ability to freely swap between Naoe and Yasuke took roughly 10 hours of gameplay. This included engaging in various side activities. For those aiming to speed through the initial act and dive deeper into the dual protagonist experience, it’s possible to achieve this milestone within 6 to 8 hours.

Methods for Switching Between Yasuke and Naoe

Once players unlock the ability to play as both protagonists, switching is straightforward. Fast traveling offers one option: hover over a destination on the map and select the prompt to fast travel as the other protagonist. This spawns you at the chosen location as either Naoe or Yasuke. Additionally, certain story quests present opportunities to decide which protagonist to play as.

Moments When You Can’t Switch Protagonists

While players enjoy significant flexibility to choose their preferred protagonist post-Act I, there are specific story moments and major quests where the protagonist remains fixed for particular scenes.

It’s also important to note that character-specific quests exist. Each protagonist has their own narrative exploring their backstory prior to meeting, featuring only one character at a time. Certain side activities are also exclusive to either Naoe or Yasuke, marked with distinct symbols—a Samurai helmet for Yasuke and a Shinobi’s hood for Naoe.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows launches on March 20th for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.