The release of Assassin’s Creed Shadows on March 20, 2025, marked a triumphant moment for Ubisoft, with the game quickly becoming the second best-selling title of the year, trailing only Monster Hunter Wilds. Set in feudal Japan during the late Sengoku period, the action-adventure epic follows the intertwined stories of Naoe, a stealthy shinobi assassin, and Yasuke, a powerful African samurai inspired by historical legend. Players navigate a breathtaking open world, engaging in covert missions and intense combat, all while unraveling a gripping narrative. The game’s critical reception has been strong, earning an 81 on OpenCritic, with praise for its stunning visuals, thrilling combat, and expansive world. Now, a recent update on the Epic Games Store has added a highly anticipated feature: achievements, delighting fans and enhancing the experience for PC players.
The addition of achievements to Assassin’s Creed Shadows on the Epic Games Store, announced on April 22, 2025, came as a surprise to the community, as Ubisoft had not hinted at the update beforehand. For years, players had voiced frustration over the absence of achievements in Ubisoft titles on Epic’s platform, a feature standard on Steam and consoles. The update addresses this long-standing request, allowing gamers to track their progress through feats like mastering stealth kills with Naoe or defeating bosses as Yasuke. Posts on X, including one from @EpicGamesData, confirmed the addition of an “achievements tag” to the game’s store page, with placeholder entries now live, likely to be detailed fully soon. This move marks a significant shift, as Shadows is the first Ubisoft-published game to support Epic Games Store achievements since the system’s introduction in 2021.
The community response has been overwhelmingly positive. Fans on Reddit and X have expressed excitement, with some stating that the achievements provide a renewed incentive to dive back into the game. “I was holding off on Epic because no achievements felt like a downgrade,” wrote one user on Reddit, echoing sentiments from players who had previously opted for Steam or consoles for the full experience. The Epic Games Store’s achievement system, which includes rarity tiers and XP progression, adds a layer of engagement, appealing to completionists who relish unlocking rare feats. The update has also sparked hope among fans that Ubisoft might retroactively add achievements to other titles like Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, which received Steam achievements in 2024, nearly two years after its Steam debut.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows has captivated players with its dual-protagonist approach, allowing seamless switching between Naoe’s stealth-focused gameplay and Yasuke’s brute-force combat. The open world, spanning castle towns, bustling ports, and war-torn landscapes, reacts dynamically to changing seasons and weather, immersing players in 16th-century Japan. The game’s success, with over three million players worldwide and record-breaking day-one digital revenue on the PlayStation Store, underscores its appeal. However, its launch was not without challenges, including delays from November 2024 to March 2025 and controversies over cultural depictions, such as a collectible resembling a Nagasaki shrine. Ubisoft addressed these issues, ensuring a Japan-specific version with reduced gore to meet CERO Z rating requirements.
The Epic Games Store update arrives alongside other enhancements for Shadows. Title Update 1.0.2, released on April 8, 2025, introduced quality-of-life improvements like horse auto-follow, mastery node resets, and fixes for two Xbox achievements, suggesting Ubisoft’s commitment to refining the experience across platforms. The upcoming Claws of Awaji DLC, set for release later in 2025, will take Naoe and Yasuke to a eerie new island, promising 10 hours of “spookier” content for pre-orderers at no extra cost. Rumors of a Nintendo Switch 2 port also persist, though Ubisoft has yet to confirm these speculations.
The addition of achievements on the Epic Games Store positions Assassin’s Creed Shadows as a trailblazer for Ubisoft’s PC strategy, potentially paving the way for broader adoption across its catalog. For now, the update has reinvigorated the community, encouraging players to revisit feudal Japan and chase new milestones. As Ubisoft navigates a transformative year, with a new subsidiary focused on Assassin’s Creed and other franchises, Shadows stands as a testament to the series’ enduring appeal. Whether stalking enemies as Naoe or charging into battle as Yasuke, players now have more reasons to lose themselves in this masterful adventure.
