Assassin's Creed Shadows star's first mocap earned a standing ovation from the dev team

Assassin's Creed Shadows is already tracking as the second-highest-selling launch title in franchise history. At the center of the game are its two leads, Naoe and Yasuke - and according to actress MASUMI, her first performance as Naoe left a noticeable impact on set.

In a video interview shared by Ubisoft, MASUMI spoke about stepping into performance capture for the first time. While she has a background in acting and music, the motion capture process - full-body performance in a studio filled with sensors and cameras - was unfamiliar territory.

"I was quite nervous," she said.

The scene in question takes place early in the game and sets the tone for Naoe's arc, described as a vengeful journey. Despite the lack of a physical set or costume, MASUMI focused on grounding the emotion and treating the moment seriously.

"When I was done, I almost don't remember what I did," she said. "The current of the emotion took me."

That moment paid off - she says the crew gave her a standing ovation when the take wrapped. While not typical for game production, where scenes are often fragmented and highly technical, MASUMI's performance stood out.

"It at least made me feel like, okay, maybe I can do this mocap thing," she added.

She also spoke about the dynamic between Naoe and co-lead Yasuke, played by Tongayi Chirisa, describing their connection as immediate - both on the page and in person.

"When I met you, it was exactly the same feeling," she told Chirisa during the interview. "It was a great cast."

Assassin's Creed Shadows is available now on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.

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