Assassin’s Creed Shadows will launch with a brand new menu, the Animus Hub, but what exactly is this feature and how does it work? Here is everything you need to know.
Along with debuting a new setting in Feudal Japan and offering up two fresh protagonists, Naoe and Yasuke, Assassin’s Creed Shadows will introduce a brand new menu to the franchise as well.
There have been rumors of an Assassin’s Creed launcher for years. Previously known as Infinity, it was only a matter of time before Ubisoft eventually revealed this new feature and now, that day is upon us.
Known as the Animus Hub, players can now select multiple Assassin’s Creed titles from the one place, access unique rewards, and much more. Here’s how it all works.
Ubisoft There are four main sections that make up the new Assassin’s Creed Animus hub.
What is the Animus Hub?
According to a blog post from developer Ubisoft, the Animus Hub will be a “seamless entry point to the latest games of the Assassin’s Creed franchise.”
There are four main sections to the Animus Hub:
- Memories (your games)
- Projects (in-game mission content)
- Exchange (rewards)
- Vault (narrative content)
“When you first launch Assassin’s Creed Shadows, you’ll immediately be immersed in a new Animus environment, the hacked Dark Animus of Assassin’s Creed’s modern-day world.”
Moreover, users will have access to additional quest lines in Assassin’s Creed Shadows and “unlock free rewards as [they] progress”, which will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S/X, and PC.
However, this Hub is not an isolated launcher but “fully integrated into Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Ubisoft added, “There are currently no plans to make it stand-alone.”
Exclusive missions & in-game rewards included
Ubisoft Players will have access to unique missions via the Animus hub.
One of the biggest takeaways from Ubisoft’s new Animus Hub is that players will have access to special missions and, in turn, rewards.
Anomalies can be found within the Projects feature of the menu or Target Board within the game and will only be playable within Assassin’s Creed Shadows.
When completed, you’ll be able to use the currency you’ve earned to unlock unique rewards via the Exchange section.
Brand-new currency
Ubisoft Keys can be used to buy new weapons and outfits from the Animus hub.
As part of the Animus Hub, players can purchase new outfits and items, and the currency required to do so is called Keys.
Despite microtransactions becoming a more prevalent inclusion in gaming, these Keys “cannot be purchased with real-world money” but instead must be earned by completing Anomalies within the Projects feature.
Which games will be included?
During our preview of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, we were given a hands-on look at how the Animus Hub works and what games are included. We can confirm that the following Assassin’s Creed titles will be accessible to play via the Animus Hub:
- Assassin’s Creed Origins
- Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
- Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
- Assassin’s Creed Mirage
While the more recent games were featured in the Animus Hub, all Ezio games and any other title released before Origins will not included, as confirmed by Ubisoft.
“The Animus Hub does not currently support titles released before Assassin’s Creed Origins.”
As such, the following games will not be accessible via the Animus Hub:
- Assassin’s Creed
- Assassin’s Creed 2
- Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood
- Assassin’s Creed: Revelations
- Assassin’s Creed 3
- Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag
- Assassin’s Creed: Rogue
However, there is still the possibility these old-school games will be added into the Animus Hub in the future, the devs further noting, “The Hub will continue to evolve going forward, with new features and content rolling out in the months and years to come.”
The history of the Animus explained
UbisoftThe Animus has been a part of Assassin’s Creed since the beginning.
Anyone who has played the original Assassin’s Creed games and even the most recent ones will have heard of the Animus. Throughout the series, the Animus is the device in which characters have been able to go back in time and access memories of their ancestors.
Desmond Miles (voice by Nolan North) was the first modern-day protagonist of the franchise and was the descendant of Altair, Ezio, Connor as well as Edward and Haytham Kenway.
Since Desmond met his demise in Assassin’s Creed 3, the Animus has remained part of the franchise but its importance has been greatly reduced. The new Animus Hub will thus honor the legacy of the older titles while revamping its role moving forward.