I still remember the day I first launched Assassin's Creed Shadows back in early 2025. Instead of the usual splash screen, I was greeted by something new: the Animus Hub. As a longtime fan of the franchise, I felt a mix of excitement and skepticism. Here was Ubisoft's grand attempt to unify the series—a launcher that promised to bring together Origins, Odyssey, Valhalla, Mirage, and Shadows under one roof. But did it really deliver? A year later, in 2026, I've had plenty of time to poke around, and my feelings are… complicated.
Let me take you through what it's like. When you boot up Shadows, the Hub appears as an in-universe Abstergo product—a slick collection of historical adventures. You can see all five games listed, and theoretically, you can jump into any of them. But here's the catch: only Shadows actually launches directly from the Hub. For the others, you have to have them installed, then sit through their own menus, and if you want to come back to the Hub, you're out of luck unless you relaunch Shadows. Sounds frustrating, right? Why call it a unified launcher if it only truly works for one game?
That's not the only issue. The Hub's extra features—Projects, the Exchange, and the Vault—are almost entirely tied to Shadows. Projects offer live-service missions called Anomalies, which feed into a battle pass found in the Exchange. The Vault holds narrative content, including those mysterious Rift cutscenes. For the other four games, these sections are basically dead weight. I love Odyssey and Valhalla, but why would I care about a battle pass that only works in Shadows? It feels like Ubisoft built a beautiful house and only furnished one room.
Still, I can't deny the potential. The Hub is clearly the future of the franchise—a single entry point for everything Assassin's Creed. With Codename Hexe, Jade, and a multiplayer experience on the horizon, the Hub could become a genuine ecosystem. But right now, it's more of a Shadows launcher with some extra tabs. Ubisoft needs to make every game in the catalog benefit, not just the newest one. Imagine earning rewards in Origins that carry over to the Hub, or accessing exclusive lore for Mirage. That would make the Hub feel essential.
Here's a quick breakdown of the Hub's features as I've experienced them:
| Feature | What it does | Works for all games? |
|---|---|---|
| Projects | Live-service missions (Anomalies) | ❌ Only Shadows |
| Exchange | Battle pass rewards | ❌ Only Shadows |
| Vault | Narrative content (Rift cutscenes) | ❌ Only Shadows |
| Game Launcher | Direct launch | ❌ Only Shadows (others need manual launch) |
So, what's the verdict after a year? I'm cautiously optimistic. The Hub is a promising first step, but it's far from the seamless, franchise-wide experience Ubisoft promised. The lack of integration for older titles is a glaring oversight. And let's not forget the clunky return-to-Hub flow—having to relaunch Shadows just to access the Hub feels like a design flaw, not a feature.
Will Ubisoft fix these issues? I hope so. The multiplayer mode and future titles could be the glue that holds everything together. But as of 2026, the Animus Hub still feels like a work in progress. It's a cool idea with shaky execution. If you're a Shadows player, you'll appreciate the convenience. But if you're like me and still love roaming ancient Greece or Viking England, you'll be left wanting more. Isn't it time the entire franchise got the Hub treatment it deserves? I think so. Until then, I'll keep launching Odyssey the old-fashioned way—and dreaming of a day when every Assassin's Creed game feels truly connected. 🗡️