Assassin’s Creed Animus Hub Won’t Be A Stand-Alone Launcher (But Will Still Launch Games)

Ubisoft has unveiled the Animus Hub, a new feature coming as part of Assassin’s Creed Shadows and described as a “seamless entry point to the latest games of the Assassin’s Creed franchise.” But don’t worry: The Animus Hub is not yet another standalone launcher, though it will have the ability to directly launch newer Assassin’s Creed titles.

The Animus Hub will launch as a “fully integrated” part of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, broken into four features: Memories, Projects, the Exchange, and the Vault. In addition to being a way for Ubisoft to deliver more of Assassin’s Creed modern day-storyline, the Animus Hub will additionally grant players free rewards as they progress. Players can additionally access certain Assassin’s Creed Shadows missions from within the Animus Hub (those missions can also be accessed directly from within the game) and explore more about the franchise’s lore.

At launch, those who own any modern, post-Assassin’s Creed Origins games in the franchise will be able to launch them directly from the Animus Hub (as long as they are installed). Older games in the series prior to Origins are not currently supported.

The Animus Hub will be a part of all Assassin’s Creed games going forward, according to Ubisoft producer Andrée-Anne Boisvert, who told Gamesradar that the hub will be a part of previously announced games like Assassin’s Creed: Codename Hexe and the multiplayer spin-off Assassin’s Creed: Codename Invictus, as well as unannounced titles.

“The driving force behind the hub has been the Animus and what it represents for the Assassin’s Creed fantasy,” Ubisoft writes in a blog post. “The goal is to shine a light on the Animus itself and explore what makes it such a powerful storytelling device within our universe.”

In a FAQ-esque section of the blog post, Ubisoft stressed that it isn’t a stand-alone launcher and that there are no plans to make it one. The hub can only be accessed in-game. All of the Animus Hub rewards will be free and earned by playing Assassin’s Creed Shadows, and while the Memories part of the hub can be accessed offline, players will need an internet connection to access the Projects, Exchange, and Vault sections of the hub.

“The team has ambitious plans for the Animus Hub and hopes to create new opportunities to tie together the Assassin’s Creed universe, our Modern Day story and your favorite Assassin’s Creed games,” Ubisoft writes. “Launching within Assassin’s Creed Shadows is merely the first step of a long journey together. The hub will continue to evolve and grow with new features, new content, and new rewards rolling out in the months and years to come.”

Assassin’s Creed Shadows releases on March 20. Originally slated for a November 2024 release, the game has been delayed multiple times. In a recent hands-on preview, we said Assassin’s Creed Shadows feels like it is trying to come to terms with its ancient history and modern day-halves.