What can you do as a free member?

Member benefits illustration

Create your free account today and unlock all our premium features and tools to enhance your gaming experience.

Member benefits illustration

Create your free account today and save articles to your watchlist and get notified when they're updated with new information.

Member benefits illustration

Create your free account today and save your favorite games for quick access later, synced across all your devices.

Member benefits illustration

By creating a Game8 account and logging in, you'll receive instant notifications when someone replies to your posts.

Comment rating feature illustration

By creating a Game8 account and logging in, you can make use of convenient features in the comments section, such as rating and sorting comments.

Premium archive feature illustration

By creating a Game8 account and logging in, you can access Premium articles that are exclusively available to members.

Site Interface

Guest
Free Member
Article Watchlist
Game Bookmarks
Cross-device Sync
Light/Dark Theme Toggle
User Profiles
Direct Feedback
Comment Rating

Game Tools

Guest
Free Member
Interactive Map Access
Interactive Map Pins
Interactive Map Comments
Interactive Map Pins Cross-Device
Check List
Event Choice Checker
Deck Builder Cross-Device
Message Board Notification
Message Board Cross-Device
Build Planner
Stat Calculator
Diagnostic Tool
Weapon/Armor Wishlist

Want more information?Learn more

Assassin's Creed Shadows (AC Shadows)

Should You Play in Canon Mode or Not?

Add to Watchlist

Canon Mode

Canon Mode allows you to experience the true story of Assassin's Creed Shadows (AC Shadows) without having to worry about dialogue choices. Read on to learn the differences when playing in Canon Mode and learn if you should play with it turned on or off.

Canon Mode Differences

Canon Mode ON All choices in the game will be automatically picked for you. This means you'll experience the "true" story of AC Shadows, including how each NPC and Ally interaction was originally written to play out.
Canon Mode OFF You get to decide how major choices play out. This will largely affect allies and romance options, as one ally does not canonically join Naoe's faction and others are not canon romances.

When you first start the game, you'll have the option to play in Canon Mode. Your choice here will be permanent since you will not be able to turn Canon Mode on or off once the game starts. Do note that Canon Mode will not prevent you from getting the Platinum trophy, so it is an entirely optional setting.

Should You Play in Canon Mode or Not?

Don't Play in Canon Mode if You Want to Make Your Own Choices

Choices are automatically made for you in canon mode, so don't play in canon mode if you want the freedom or at least some control over the characterization of Yasuke and Naoe in your story.

Canon Mode will lock you out from recruiting 100% of the allies in the game, as one ally does not canonically join Naoe's side. If you want to recruit all of the allies in the game, play with Canon Mode turned off so you don't miss out.

How to Recruit All Allies

Play in Canon Mode if You Want to Experience the Real Story

For players who want to experience the "real story" of Assassin's Creed Shadows, turn Canon Mode on to see all of the canonical decisions Naoe and Yasuke make during main quests, side quests, and ally recruitment quests.

List of All Quests and Objectives

Assassin's Creed Shadows Related Guides

Tips and Tricks

Tips and Tricks

All Tips and Tricks Guides

Beginner Guides
What to Do First What to Buy and Sell First
How to Heal How to Save
How to Sheathe Weapons How to Switch Weapons
How to Sprint How to Parry
How to Deflect How to Engrave Weapons and Armor
Dialogue Symbols Explained How to Use Pathfinder Mode
Gameplay Guides
How to Unlock Yasuke How to Make Yasuke Dab
How to Switch Characters How to Change Seasons
How to Get the Assassin Armor Set How to Transmog
Best Hideout Building Upgrades How to Get More Scouts
How to Respec Abilities How to Remove Wanted Status
What to Do with Castle Keys How to Wear Hood
Exchange Store Guide All Horse Controls
What to Do with Red Barrels Should You Play as Yasuke or Naoe?
How to Claim Deluxe Edition Items All Hideout Buildings
What are Orange Enemies? How to Track a Quest
How to Daze Enemies How to Unlock the Zashiki
Farming Guides
Knowledge Points Mastery Points
XP Money (Mon)
Data Fragments Hideout Resources
Oakwood -
Glossary Guides
What is a Weak Point Attack? What is a Posture Attack?
What is Adrenaline? What are Anomalies?
What Does Gold Do? What Does Praying Do?
Romance Guides
Koshiro Romance Guide Hori Hidemasa Romance Guide
Mayu Romance Guide Rin Romance Guide
FAQs
Can You Play Offline? What Happens When You Die?
Where is Imai Sokyu? Can You Change the Time?
Should You Help NPCs? Is There a Battle Pass?
Who is Junjiro's Father? Are There Isu Weapons?
Should You Turn On Immersive Mode? Should You Play in Canon Mode or Not?
Should You Turn Guided Exploration On or Off? Can Yasuke Climb and Parkour?
What is the Max Level? -
Game Settings Guides
List of Controls Best Settings
Quality or Performance? All Language Options
Guaranteed Assassination Setting -

Comment

2 Anonymous Anonymous@Game8 9 months

Thank you for the feedback. The initial wording was meant to be more general to avoid spoilers, but it's been adjusted now. :)

1 AlexUbel AlexUbel 9 months

Canon mode only locks you out of one ally. Not several.

Author

    Please participate in our site
    improvement survey
    12/2025
    Would you assist in
    improving Game8's site?
    ×
    This survey will take about 1 minute.
    Your answers will help us to improve our website.
    We are listening to our users' valuable opinions and discussing how to act on them.
    The information collected through this survey will be used for the purpose of improving our services. In addition, the information will only be disclosed a part of a statistic in a format that will not allow identification of personal information.
    Begin Survey

    All rights reserved

    Guide Index