Assassin's Creed Shadows limits player choices for canon

Assassin's Creed Shadows will be released on March 20. Early reviews for the game have been positive. One interesting feature is called "Canon Mode." In Canon Mode, players have fewer choices. Instead, the game presents a specific narrative that Ubisoft will label as the official story for future games. This concept raises questions. If there is a "right" path, why allow player choices at all? It may suggest that some of the choices are not significant, especially if Ubisoft decides which outcomes are the "real" ones. This idea seems to have come from past games like Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. In Odyssey, players chose between siblings. However, Ubisoft eventually confirmed one character, Kassandra, as the official hero. A similar situation is unfolding with the upcoming Mass Effect 5, where choices made in the previous game will also need to result in a singular canon story. Some fans wonder if removing choices altogether is acceptable in games like Assassin’s Creed. The writer feels it might be fine for this series. Many strong narrative games do not include choices. For instance, The Last of Us would lose its impact if players could choose major outcomes. The writer expresses uncertainty about using Canon Mode in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. They lean towards wanting to experience the official story instead of exploring many choices. However, they are still thinking it over.