Assassin’s Creed Shadows Adds a Fan’s Cat as a Secret Companion

Ubisoft’s latest update for Assassin’s Creed: Shadows has quietly added one of the most heartwarming Easter eggs in the series: the beloved pet cat of a dedicated fan is now part of the game.

While the September update’s headline feature was support for the first expansion, Claws of Awaji, it also introduced something far more personal for one player. Olive, the pet cat of Assassin’s Creed YouTuber Ropotopolous, has been immortalised in the game’s feudal Japan setting.

Fans of his channel will recognise Olive instantly. She’s often depicted in Renaissance Assassin robes as part of his branding. Now, she appears in Shadows wearing a similar outfit, ready to be discovered by players.

According to Ropotopolous, Ubisoft worked directly with him to hide Olive and her real-life brother Benjamin, a tabby without the costume, in a specific location within the game world. To make things more fun, there’s a riddle to solve before you can find them:

"Where nature's brushstrokes twist and rise / In form, it mirrors native guise / Neither shrine, nor gate, nor scroll, but guided faith from distant soul. / Above, her golden arms meet sky, beneath, the peaceful shadow lies. / Where westward teachings softly crept, inside, a Quiet Queen is kept."

Once you track Olive down and give her a pet, she’ll join your hideout as a permanent companion.

In a video announcement, Ropotopolous called it “the single coolest achievement” of his YouTube career, adding that while Olive is still young and healthy, having her likeness in his favourite game means he’ll always be able to visit her in digital form.

For now, Olive is only available to Claws of Awaji owners, but Ubisoft has confirmed plans to make her accessible to all players in a future patch. There’s also a “generic” white-furred version of Olive available through the free Animus rewards system, though you’ll need to put in some grind to unlock it.