Assassin's Creed Shadows will receive its last major update on June 16th and provides clear indications of a gameplay connection with the remake "Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced" which will be released in July.
Deputy Game Director Simon Lemay-Comtois hinted at a "black tide" that is supposed to reach the shores of Japan. This is no coincidence. Ubisoft is using this to its advantage. Final update 1.1.1, to bridge the gap to the Caribbean remake.
Technically and in terms of content, this likely means a crossover event that integrates fragments of Edward Kenway's story into feudal Japan. The focus will most likely be on the artifacts of the sages. These objects have always been a central theme in the series' lore. Ubisoft is cleverly combining the live-service end of the current installment with the marketing for the next release.
Lore Bridge instead of mere cosmetics
The linking of two eras, historically separated by over a hundred years, is achieved in Assassin's Creed through the Enyo engine and the Animus's past simulation. "Assassin's Creed Shadows" takes place in the late 16th century, "Assassin's Creed Black Flag" in the early 18th century.
In terms of content, a crossover only makes sense if it's resolved through the modern storyline or the search for the Pieces of Eden. Pure skin packs would contradict the developer's wording. Lemay-Comtois explicitly spoke of a "flood of content," which suggests a questline.
For Ubisoft, this move is a smarter strategy to directly migrate their player base. Internally, "Assassin's Creed Shadows" is considered a success, and interest is high. This momentum is intended to flow seamlessly into the pre-sale of "Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced." Console gamers are already familiar with this tactic from titles like Destiny or Monster Hunter. The source's mere PR platitudes about an emotional "drifting off into the sunset" don't reflect the business reality. It's about customer retention.
Update 1.1.1 isn't an emotional farewell, but rather a functional marketing tool. Specifically, for players, this means that those who own "Assassin's Creed Shadows" will very likely receive free story content on June 16th, serving as a playable teaser for the Black Flag remake. Those with no interest in Edward Kenway can consider the update a simple bug-fix wrap-up. For lore enthusiasts, however, the patch is essential.
What I find funny about Ubisoft, or rather about us gamers, is that we always want to use skins from games that represent a different time period. What do I mean by that? Quite simply, people who play Black Flag will want, or actually run around with, a Japanese skin, and people who play Shadows will want a pirate skin, or rather, Ubisoft will offer exactly that.
Nah, forget it. I'm playing Rogue to get in the mood for Resynced.
Well, then I'll have to go back to Japan again... I've already got all the trophies there anyway... I just need to get my skill level up to 99...
I believe pirate skins will still be released; it's a good idea. I think it would be great if there were also weapon types for both characters. Maybe a pistol for Yasuke and a pale, unarmored one for Noe.