Assassin's Creed Shadows fans can't get enough of its cutest moment

It's no surprise that in a game where you suit up as two sword-swinging samurai, Assasin's Creed Shadows is making the blood blow. More than just its original codename being Assassin's Creed Red, Ubisoft isn't skimping on the red stuff this time around. Still, it doesn't mean it's all blood and guts. 

Assassin's Creed games have never been afraid to deliver some pretty gnarly kills, and after Ghost of Tsushima arguably beat Ubisoft to the punch with its own brutal samurai adventure, it's clear Assassin's Creed Shadows is trying to up the ante. 

Yes, you can pet the dog in Assassin's Creed Shadows

During June 10's Ubisoft Forward event, we got a hefty 13 minutes of gameplay, showing off protagonists Naoe and Yasuke alongside their two distinct styles. Yasuke is a tank-like fighter who can smash armour off his enemies with his war club, while Naoe takes the more stealthy approach and can slit throats from behind. 

The opening section has Yasuke exploring Fukuchiyama, and before we get to all that violence, we see him come across an adorable Shiba Inu. Calling the dog a "friendly beast," it looks like Yasuke was able to pet the mutt, leading to a cute cinematic. 

We take petting the dog very seriously here, and it seems Assassin's Creed Shadows fans are the same. The throwaway moment has gone viral, with one dog-lover cheering, "You can pet the dogs in assassin's creed shadows. that's all I needed. goty." 

Another added, "This is all I needed to know. Buying this immediately," and a third said, "Now that is one sweet added bonus." Not everyone was a fan, though, with one critic concluding, "I'm so sick of seeing this pointless post for every damn game with a cat or a dog. This isn't special or new anymore, and it hasn't been for a very long time lol."

Petting the dog is more important than you think

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Dogs in video games go hand-in-hand, and just imagine if your Fallout 4 journey didn't have Dogmeat by your side. We've also seen Hades make a big deal out of petting Cerberus (or petting a frog in Hades 2), while everything from Final Fantasy 16 to Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone have made a big fuss about our furry friends.

It's these little details that will hopefully make Assassin's Creed Shadows more than just a standard AC game that's been given a new backdrop. Of course, this isn't the only Assassin's Creed game that lets you pet the dog. Other games, ranging from Black Flag to Valhalla, have let you show your love of cats and dogs.

Shadows actually takes it one step further, with the Thrown to the Dogs mission being a preorder bonus for the game. Thought to be inspired by Hachikō, a dog who famously waited for his owner for nine years after the man's death, it's clear there will be plenty of good bois (and girls) in the next chapter of the Creedverse.