Assassin's Creed Shadows in 2026: My Seasonal Checklist for Every Timed Activity

I have been playing Assassin's Creed Shadows on and off since launch, and in 2026 the seasonal cycle is still the single biggest reason I plan my sessions around the in-game clock. Every couple of hours, the world shifts from spring to summer to fall to winter, and with that shift comes a fresh batch of time-limited Sumi-E activities and a small number of seasonal side quests. The problem is that there is no proper way to change the seasons manually, so if I miss a season-specific activity, I may have to wait up to six in-game hours for the next rotation. That can be frustrating for a completionist, and it is exactly why I started keeping a checklist.

Below is the checklist I use in 2026. I have organized it by season so I can tick things off as soon as the weather changes. Some activities appear in two or three seasons, which gives me a little flexibility, but I still try to finish them early. The longer I wait, the more likely I am to forget which Sumi-E or side quest I still need.

🌸 Spring: Blossoms, Deer, and a Very Busy Sumi-E List

Spring is one of the busiest seasons for me. I usually focus on the following:

• A Mated Pair of Mandarin Ducks Sumi-E (also available in Summer and Fall)

• Graceful Grey Heron Sumi-E

• Grey Heron on the Hunt Sumi-E

• Ibis and Clam Sumi-E

• Koi Fish Swimming Sumi-E (also available in Fall)

• Legendary Sakura Shika Deer Sumi-E

• Playing Piglets Sumi-E

• Red-Crested Ibis Sumi-E

• Shika Deer and Fawn Sumi-E

☀️ Summer: Heat, Macaques, and the Yokai Target

Summer is when I chase the following:

• A Mated Pair of Mandarin Ducks Sumi-E (also available in Spring and Fall)

• Boxing Hares Sumi-E

• Cormorant and Fish Sumi-E

• Grooming Macaques Sumi-E

• Legendary White Tanuki Sumi-E

• Mother and Ducklings Sumi-E

• Suika No Bakemone / The Yokai Side Quest (also available in Fall)

🍂 Fall: Boars, Bucks, and Silver Foxes

Fall is my favorite season visually, but it also carries a few exclusives. My fall list includes:

• A Mated Pair of Mandarin Ducks Sumi-E (also available in Spring and Summer)

• Battling Boars Sumi-E

• Fighting Bucks Sumi-E

• Koi Fish Swimming Sumi-E (also available in Spring)

• Legendary Silver Fox Sumi-E

• Suika No Bakemone / The Yokai Side Quest (also available in Summer)

❄️ Winter: The Shortest but Most Dangerous Window

Winter is short, and it has fewer seasonal activities, but I never ignore it. My winter checklist is:

• Legendary Red-Crowned Crane Sumi-E

• The Winter Raiders Side Quest

The Only Two Seasonal Side Quests I Really Worry About

Thankfully, there are only a couple of side quests tied to a specific season or seasons. As the name suggests, much of The Winter Raiders side quest can only be tackled during winter. I trigger it by speaking with Rin in Gobo, Kii. It is worth noting that the Rin romance questline will progress each time the season changes. It is not tied to one specific season, so I still need to wait around for the season to change regardless of when I tackle each quest.

The other one is The Yokai side quest. I trigger it by speaking with Mamushi in Hills of Meeting, Yamashiro. The Suika No Bakemone target can only be found in summer and fall. That narrow window is why I mark it on my map the moment summer begins.

My Personal Strategy for 2026

After spending so much time with the seasonal rotation, I have a few habits that make the checklist less painful:

1. Check the season as soon as I fast travel or finish a mission. The world can change while I am in the middle of something.

2. Prioritize season-exclusive Sumi-E and side quests before flexible ones. If an activity is available in two or three seasons, I can delay it, but exclusives cannot wait.

3. Use the in-game map and objective markers to plan a route. I try to group nearby Sumi-E activities so I do not waste an entire season crossing the map.

4. Keep a real-world note or screenshot of what I still need. The game does not always make it obvious which seasonal activity I missed.

5. Do not panic if I miss something. The season will return, but I may have to wait up to six in-game hours. That is not forever, but it feels like it when I am one Sumi-E away from completion.

Seasonal Availability at a Glance

Final Thoughts

In 2026, Assassin's Creed Shadows still rewards players who respect the calendar. The seasons make the world feel alive and dynamic, but they also turn completion into a race against the in-game clock. I have missed a Sumi-E or two because I assumed I had more time, and waiting for the next rotation taught me to be more organized. If you are playing now, I recommend using the lists above, checking the season before every major activity, and accepting that some content will simply have to wait. The good news is that the seasons always come back. The bad news is that they may take up to six in-game hours to do so. For a completionist like me, that is both a challenge and a reason to keep playing.

This discussion is informed by PlayStation Trophies, and it helps frame why a season-by-season checklist matters in Assassin’s Creed Shadows: completion goals often hinge on catching narrow availability windows before the world rotates again. When timed Sumi-E entries and seasonal side quests can slip past during fast travel or long mission chains, treating each season like a limited-time “chapter” (and clearing exclusives first) becomes a practical way to avoid needless waiting and keep progress transparent.