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Spoiler warning: This explains an early story progression gate. To unlock Yasuke for open-world play, finish Act 1; follow the main story as Naoe and prioritize The Shinbakufu circle on the objective board. Afterward, you can switch protagonists at a fast-travel point or through the inventory.
How to unlock Yasuke
- Continue the main story after the prologue. You play as Naoe during the early open-world section; free play as Yasuke is not available yet.
- Prioritize The Shinbakufu. On the objective board, focus on this circle and keep advancing the main path. Ubisoft recommends this priority to reach the point where both characters are playable and you can switch freely: Ubisoft’s early-game recommendations.
- Complete Act 1. PowerPyx identifies the end of Act 1 as the gate for using Yasuke in open-world exploration: PowerPyx’s Yasuke unlock guide. The sources do not establish a more specific required mission list, so focus on the named objective circle and story progression rather than trying to match an unverified checklist.
How long does it take?
PowerPyx estimates Act 1 takes about 5–8 hours when focusing on the story. That is a third-party guide estimate, not an official Ubisoft completion time or a guarantee; your pace and time spent on detours will change how long the unlock takes.
How to switch to Yasuke
Once he is available, change protagonists at a fast-travel point or from the inventory. PowerPyx lists holding Square on PS5 or X on Xbox to switch through the inventory. Button prompts can differ on other platforms, so follow the on-screen control prompt for your system.
When to choose Yasuke or Naoe
The two protagonists are built for different approaches. Ubisoft describes Naoe as an agile shinobi focused on stealth, tools, parkour, and assassination; Yasuke is a combat-oriented samurai who can attack, block, and parry, with weapons including katana, kanabo, bows, and naginata. Choose based on how you want to handle an activity:
#1 Best Overall
- Only at Amazon Limited Edition Content includes the base game and Sekiryu Character Pack
- Explore the captivating open world of feudal Japan, from spectacular castle towns and bustling ports to peaceful shrines and war-ravaged landscapes. Adventure through unpredictable weather, changing seasons, and reactive environments.
- Become Naoe, a shinobi Assassin, and Yasuke, a legendary samurai, as you experience their riveting stories and master their complementary playstyles.
- Make information your weapon as you explore the world, and build your own network of spies to be your eyes and ears across locations to hunt down your next target. Along the way, recruit new allies with unique abilities to help accomplish your missions.
- Create a fully customizable hideout for your growing shinobi league as you train your crew, craft new gear, interact with key characters, and choose your base’s layout, decorations, and accessories.
| Protagonist | Best suited to | Playstyle and equipment |
|---|---|---|
| Naoe | Stealth, infiltration, and agile traversal | Shinobi tools, parkour, and assassination |
| Yasuke | Direct combat | Samurai attacks, blocks, and parries; katana, kanabo, bows, and naginata |
They have separate gear, stats, skills, and character-specific abilities, but character level, XP, Mastery Points, and Knowledge are shared. That means progression in those shared systems is not isolated to whichever protagonist you are currently using. Ubisoft outlines the distinction in its progression overview.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Game availability
Ubisoft lists Assassin’s Creed Shadows as released on March 20, 2025. Its official game page lists PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, Ubisoft+, Amazon Luna, Apple-silicon Macs, and Windows PC through Ubisoft Store, Steam, and Epic Games Store. Availability may vary by region or service; check Ubisoft’s game page for current platform information.
Quick Recap
Rank #3
- Only at Amazon Limited Edition Content includes the base game and Sekiryu Character Pack
- Explore the captivating open world of feudal Japan, from spectacular castle towns and bustling ports to peaceful shrines and war-ravaged landscapes. Adventure through unpredictable weather, changing seasons, and reactive environments.
- Become Naoe, a shinobi Assassin, and Yasuke, a legendary samurai, as you experience their riveting stories and master their complementary playstyles.
- Make information your weapon as you explore the world, and build your own network of spies to be your eyes and ears across locations to hunt down your next target. Along the way, recruit new allies with unique abilities to help accomplish your missions.
- Create a fully customizable hideout for your growing shinobi league as you train your crew, craft new gear, interact with key characters, and choose your base’s layout, decorations, and accessories.
Rank #2
- ENTER FEUDAL JAPAN - Explore the captivating open world of feudal Japan, from spectacular castle towns and bustling ports to peaceful shrines and war-ravaged landscapes. Adventure through unpredictable weather, changing seasons, and reactive environments.
- MASTER COMPLEMENTARY PLAYSTYLES - Become Naoe, a shinobi Assassin, and Yasuke, a legendary samurai, as you experience their riveting stories and master their complementary playstyles. As Naoe, use stealth to avoid detection and agility to confound your enemies. As Yasuke, strike your foes with lethal precision and power. Unlock new skills, gear, and progression independently for each character.
- MAKE INFORMATION YOUR WEAPON - Travel the world and build your own network of spies to be your eyes and ears across locations to hunt down your next target. Along the way, recruit new allies with unique abilities to help accomplish your missions
- BUILD A PLACE TO CALL HOME - Create a fully customizable hideout for your growing shinobi league as you train your crew, craft new gear, interact with key characters, and choose your base’s buildings layout, decorations, and accessories.
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