Ubisoft Quebec’s upcoming title, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, features a world map comparable in size to the Egypt setting in Assassin’s Creed Origins, according to associate game director Simon Lemay-Comtois. In a recent interview with VGC, Lemay-Comtois elaborated on the scope of the game’s Japanese setting.

“It’s about roughly similar to Origins, so it’s smaller than Valhalla in terms of territory,” Lemay-Comtois explained. “Japan’s geography includes some bodies of water, but unlike Odyssey’s Greece, it isn’t dominated by them. We have coastlines and the significant Lake Biwa, but overall, the map size mirrors Origins.”

The landscape of Japan presents unique challenges and opportunities for exploration. “Japan is much more mountainous, with small mountains and valleys,” Lemay-Comtois continued. “Our team discovered that most interesting locations are in the valleys. There are some notable temples atop mountains, but much of the terrain is steep and dense, making it less traversable.”

The size of the map is aligned with the historical narrative the game aims to tell. Assassin’s Creed Shadows is set in 16th-century Japan, during a tumultuous period leading to the country’s unification. “The story focuses on central Japan, so we don’t cover the entire country. Key events occur in Kyoto, Osaka, and Azuchi, necessitating the inclusion of these places. We aimed for authenticity in these castles, giving them a substantial footprint,” Lemay-Comtois noted.

The development team balanced historical fidelity with gameplay practicality. “We needed to ensure the journey between cities and castles felt adventurous without requiring days of travel. This careful planning defined our map’s size,” Lemay-Comtois added.

Alongside these insights, Ubisoft released a 13-minute gameplay walkthrough of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, showcasing the new setting and mechanics. The game is scheduled for release on 15 November, 2024, for PS5, Xbox Series X | S, PC, Mac, and Amazon Luna.