Gamers have long debated what the canonical lore is for our favorite gaming franchises. For example, series likeMass EffectandFallouthave long had fan discussions about what in-game choices have turned out to be canon in previous entries.
Sometimes, the developers will directly tell players that a specific ending or decision was correct, but for others, it isn’t so black and white; the game’s outcome isn’t always good or bad.
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With theAssassin’s Creed franchisenow turning more towards RPG structures, it has naturally benefited from RPG choice-making and multiple endings. BothOdysseyandValhallagive players the means to reach separate endings depending on their choices throughout the game.
The developers of the upcoming titleAssassin’s Creed Shadows, releasing February 14th, 2025, revealed in aReddit AMAthatthey added a new “Canon Mode,” which will choose the canon choices directly for the player.
The idea of a canon option is an interesting solution to an issue I’m sure many gamers have faced. Sometimes, it’s a bit hard to find thecorrect dialogue choicesto achieve a good ending, leading many gamers to turn to online guides for achieving the best ending possible.
Especially with many modern titles in the AAA spherecreating weird paths you must follow toreach your desired ending,this tool can be handy for those who just want to turn off their brain and relax.
Jonathan, one of the developers who participated in the recent Assassin’s Creed Shadows Reddit AMA, revealed that the latest game’s canon mode option was made to ease the need for player choice.
Since the fan base is divided on branching dialogues, we have incorporated an option called CANON MODE, which allows you to play the game with choices already made for you, to give you a choice-free experience.
Like an accessibility option, canon mode will obviously not be required but is an alternative option for those who need it.Those of you who want the traditional experience can keep it off and still make decisions for yourself.
Although the choices have been stated to have less of a role in the main story ofShadows,choices also affect recruiting allies and romance storylines separate from the core narrative.
That said, the addition of canon mode creates a weird contradiction. What’s the point of a game being an RPG if the developer outright says what decisions should naturally be made?
The Duality Of Canon Events In RPG Narratives
As mentioned earlier, RPG franchises such asMass EffectandFallouthave already had issues with developers needing to declare canon while venturing into further titles.
For instance,Fallout: New VegasandFallout 2switched some player decisions from Fallout 1 into canon events because they needed to concretely lay down the plot and lore thatled to the eventsof the sequels.
But with games likeShadows, we’ve hit a point in RPG storytelling where a specific option is good or bad, canon or non-canon.Through this, I would honestly argue that Shadows has somewhat stripped the actual purpose of something being an RPG.
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Once again, a great example isFallout, where, depending on who’s playing, one may believe thata specific endingis “better” than another based on their approach to the story or world, not because developers have distinctly labeled one as good and one as bad.
Truthfully,Assassin’s Creed’s version of RPG storytelling isn’t trying to be the nextFalloutorMass Effect. It doesn’t need these moral or literary complexities, and previous titles have used RPG structuremore for their combatand progression than for storylines.
I’m glad that the option for a canon mode is there for players who want to turn off their brain and play the game with the canon ending in mind. Nonetheless, having an option for canon endings definitely differentiates the nature ofAssassin’s Creedas an RPG from others in the genre.
