The option to play in Canon Mode is one of the first choices available when starting Assassin's Creed Shadows, but the game provides only a brief overview of what the setting does. As its synopsis mentions, Canon Mode "removes all dialogue choices during cutscenes," presenting a "canon" version of Assassin's Creed Shadows' story. Experiencing a pre-determined story at the cost of some player freedom has both pros and cons, so the best choice to make at the start isn't necessarily simple.

While older Assassin's Creed games featured linear narratives without an emphasis on player choice, Assassin's Creed Odyssey followed up Origins' shift in an RPG direction by sprinkling decisions throughout the game. The subsequent release of Valhalla stuck to this model to some degree, but Mirage ignored it, and Shadows is now attempting to split the difference. For franchise veterans, basing the decision to use or ignore Canon Mode on past preferences might make the most sense, but it's still a little more complicated than that.

What Happens If You Choose Canon Mode In Assassin's Creed Shadows

One Story, No Choices

By sticking to one canon story path, Canon Mode makes it so that narrative choices never appear in-game, with the only major decisions coming in the option to play as Yasuke or Naoe in various quests. In Canon Mode, it won't actually be clear where the choice points would have occurred, as cutscenes and conversations play out seamlessly. This emulates the classic Assassin's Creed experience of a single discrete story, and everyone playing the game in Canon Mode will experience the same version of events.

Unlike most settings, Canon Mode cannot be turned off after starting a game, so the decision should be made with care.

Canon Mode places a greater emphasis on the idea of pre-defined characters, with Naoe and Yasuke consistently acting according to set beliefs and traits. The main story achieves a more movie-like sense of immersion without options interrupting the action, potentially maintaining more momentum in the lead-up to major narrative moments. Since the team selected the sequence of events for Canon Mode, the overall story should be a generally compelling one, not a lineup that automatically selects the least interesting choices.

What Happens If You Leave Canon Mode Off In AC Shadows

Plenty Of Options With Minimal Branching

Leaving Canon Mode off provides more agency in Assassin's Creed Shadows, even Screen Rant interview with the narrative designer.

[W]hen it's on, the game will unfold as if you had made those choices, but you won't see them [...] It was interesting to look back when the story had been written. And sort of to be able to reflect on how everything had come together, and where we ended up, and understand what the best canon path would be. It's a lot of fun, actually. - Brooke Davies

Importantly, the Canon Mode doesn't always pick the ideal sequence of events in of moral choices or potential rewards, instead focusing on a well-constructed story. By playing with Canon Mode off, it's possible to experiment with more romantic options or introduce characters to the hideout that might otherwise die. While they maintain core elements of characterization across all choices, Naoe's tendency toward vengeance can be curbed with more merciful decisions, while Yasuke could stray a bit further from his principles.

While some choices could either add or remove content and dialogue, Assassin's Creed Shadows doesn't feature major endings based on branching choices. The game has several ending components that derive from finishing various quest lines, but they can be accessed regardless of decisions made along the way, although options that appear as stories conclude can have some effect in the moment. Playing Canon Mode isn't necessary to achieve a complete ending, and the consequences of early choices won't have enormous ripple effects at the end of the story.

You Should Ignore Canon Mode If You Don't Mind Choices

Canon Mode Is Purely Preferential

If the idea of Canon Mode doesn't automatically excite you, there isn't an overarching reason to turn it on. Unlike the stories of older Assassin's Creed games, the idea of a "canon" here is more retroactive than integral. The overall course of historical events follows reality to the loose standards set by the series regardless of which choices are made, and decisions available throughout make sense as possible interpretations of the characters.

That being said, if you simply prefer not to be presented with choices, Canon Mode is a perfectly well-implemented way to avoid that function. Since the choices aren't as integral as they are in full-fledged RPGs, the game should still feel complete and seamless without them, and the experience will be a bit closer to classic games in the franchise. It's ultimately not a decision with a wrong answer, but choosing to turn on Canon Mode in Assassin's Creed Shadows doesn't have any particular benefits aside from preference.