Assassin's Creed Shadows Stealths Onto iPads Courtesy of iPadOS 18, Game Mode (2024)

At Ubisoft Forward, Ubisoft’s summer gaming showcase, the publisher shed more light on Assassin’s Creed Shadows. This upcoming installment in the popular historical murder franchise finally goes to feudal Japan, an era ripe with creative killing potential.

The event showcased the two new heroes: Naoe (a ninja) and Yasuke (a samurai). However, at WWDC, Ubisoft revealed more juicy news: Assassin's Creed Shadows will leverage Apple's new gaming initiatives by launching on iPadOS 18 the same day as Mac, PC, and console.

Assassin's Creed Shadows on iPadOS 18

Assassin’s Creed isn't quite an annual franchise these days, but Assassin’s Creed: Shadows is coming sooner than you think. The game launches on Nov. 15 for Mac, PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. Surprisingly, the game is also making the leap to iPad. Yes, the massive open-world game, which isn't even coming to last-gen consoles, will run on the newest iPads.

We don't know the exact spec requirements. However, the relatively modest Assassin's Creed Mirage required an M1 chip to run on iOS devices. So, presumably, Assassin's Creed Shadows will only run on iPads new enough to have that beefy silicon. However, you may need the cutting-edge M4 chip for graphical enhancements like ray tracing support.

Assassin's Creed Shadows and other AAA games slated for (or already available on) Apple's mobile devices—Death's Stranding, Resident Evil 4 Remake—will tap Game Mode, a new iPadOS18 (and iOS18) feature. Game Mode reduces background activity to deliver increased performance and better battery life. It also reduces Bluetooth latency for wireless controllers and headphones. In short, Game Mode transforms your iPad into a dedicated gaming device, so you can take Naoe and Yasuke on the go.

A Nimble Ninja and Historical Samurai

At WWDC, Ubisoft’s Vice President & Executive Producer of the Assassin’s Creed franchise, Marc-Alexis Cote, didn't explicitly state that the showcased footage represented the iPad version (he spent most of his time discussing the Mac version). Hopefully, Assassin's Creed Shadows' iPad gameplay will closely match its console, Mac, and PC counterparts.

Naoe represents classic series action, or the recent throwback, Assassin’s Creed Mirage. She's a stealthy warrior who stays out of sight and takes out targets without making a sound. With Naoe, you scramble across rooftops, toss shuriken, and manipulate the surroundings to make hapless guards more vulnerable.

If Naoe is quiet, then Yasuke is loud. Inspired by an actual historical figure, Yasuke was an African who became a retainer for Oda Nobunaga during the Sengoku period. His heavier combat recalls modern Assassin’s Creed games like Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. The gameplay consists of tense, elegant sword duels, and you can lop off dishonorable heads like in a Shogun episode. Certain situations let you choose which character to play, depending on which approach you prefer.

We love seeing Yasuke here. The idea of a real-life Black samurai is incredibly cool and has already inspired characters in anime and other games. Netflix's Yasuke anime, starring Lakeith Stanfield, is one of our favorite examples of a streaming service celebrating Black art. Plus, making Yasuke a main, playable character is a smart way to separate Assassin’s Creed Shadows from the dozens of other traditional samurai games, including Ghost of Tsushima, Nioh, Rise of the Ronin, and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.

Whether it's on the Nintendo Switch or handheld gaming PCs, we adore playing epic adventures on portable devices. So Assassin's Creed Shadows on iPad sounds like a terrific move by Ubisoft. Here's hoping the final game lives up to the promise.

For more on gaming, check out our favorite trailers from IGN Live and Xbox Games Showcase.