In my review for Assassin’s Creed Shadows, I noted that most of the game’s wildlife is pretty pointless. All across the world, animals roam free with no real purpose or control, and you can’t hunt them like you could in previous titles.
One thing I can’t complain about in the animal stakes is the sheer volume of cute kittens, puppy dogs, baby deer, and other adorable creatures scampering around Feudal Japan. I’ve just learned that (at least) one of those cuddly pets is based on a real cat that belongs to a Ubisoft developer.
Perks of the Job
When you work as a Production Manager on a game, one thing you’ll surely be able to do is immortalise your feline friend for all to see.
That’s what Nik Pantis did while working on Assassin’s Creed Shadows.
In a post on social media, Pantis revealed that his stark white kitty, Ghost, is immortalised in Assassin’s Creed Shadows as ‘Bakeneko,’ a one-of-a-kind supernatural yōkai or kaibyō – a ghost cat.
He shared an image of Ghost both in the real world and as the Bakeneko in Assassin’s Creed:
My cat, Ghost, is immortalised in @assassinscreed 🥺🥰
This isn’t the first time a legendary cat has found its way into an Assassin’s Creed game. In 2023’s Assassin’s Creed Mirage, a special cat belonging to a fan of the game surfaced – with a very interesting feature. The cat had a natural representation of the Assassin’s Creed logo across its face.
Sadly, the cat passed away before the game was released, but Ubisoft pulled some strings to immortalise a treasured companion.
I’m off to find me a Bakeneko.
For more Insider Gaming coverage, check out my recent interview with Abubakar Salim about the price of the Nintendo Switch 2
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