Assassin’s Creed Shadows Lost at Game Awards, Yet Ubisoft Views Outcome as a Win

Assassin’s Creed Shadows and the Game Awards: A Different Kind of Victory

Assassin’s Creed Shadows was nominated for Best Accessibility at the Game Awards held in December. The award, however, was won by Doom: The Dark Ages. Despite not taking home the trophy, Ubisoft sees the nomination itself as a success.

Jonathan Bedard, director of user experience for Shadows, expressed a positive outlook on the outcome. “When someone wins, we all win,” he told Polygon, emphasizing the collaborative spirit behind accessibility in gaming.

Ubisoft’s Long-Term Commitment to Accessibility

Accessibility has been a priority for Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed series for years. The shift began with Assassin’s Creed Origins, introducing features like ambient subtitles and eye-tracking control. Bedard, who joined Ubisoft in 2010, has continuously worked to improve inclusivity across titles.

“The goal is to help players overcome unseen barriers,” Bedard said. His team integrates accessibility early in development to create games that players can customize to their needs, whether disabilities or situational challenges.

Innovations in Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Shadows marked Ubisoft’s first Assassin’s Creed game built exclusively for current-gen platforms. This shift allowed the team to revamp core systems such as the UI engine. Bedard explained this created an opportunity to design features that benefit not only Shadows but future Ubisoft games.

Key accessibility features include:

1. Customizable combo mapping to simplify controls
2. Enhanced subtitles with tone and speaker cues
3. A screen reader announcing nearby objectives
4. Sortable world map icons for players with visual impairments

These options demonstrate proactive design shaped by player feedback, including input from disabled gamers.

Beyond Awards: A Culture of Inclusivity

Bedard sees accessibility as more than addressing disabilities—it’s about letting everyone play their way. He cited personal examples, like needing one-handed play modes while holding a child, or subtitles on when others are sleeping.

Despite not winning the award, Ubisoft celebrates the progress made with Shadows. Bedard noted the team’s pride in introducing innovations like auto-description cinematics, a first for the series, even if another game won the category.

For Ubisoft, winning means advancing inclusive experiences that bring diverse players together. As Bedard said, “Together, we win.”