Nearly one month after its release,Assassin’s Creed Shadowsis proving to be one of the most popular games of 2025. According to industry analyst Mat Piscatella,Assassin’s Creed Shadowshas been the best-selling game in the United States for three weeks and has become the second best-selling game in 2025 so far. ManyAssassin’s Creedfans are likely celebratingShadows’ success, some are still looking to the franchise’s future with the series' next upcoming mainline title,Assassin’s Creed: Codename Hexe. While little is currently known about this game, one mysterious character fromShadowscould tie the two games together in an intriguing way: the Spanish Assassin Alvaro Catarribera.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ Alvaro Catarribera Explained
Throughout the beginning ofAssassin’s Creed Shadows, the story of Fujibayashi Naoe’s mother and her family’s connection to the Assassin Brotherhood was shrouded in mystery. It’s only after Naoe and Yasuke meet Tokugawa Ieyasu and re-encounter Hattori Hanzo that Naoe’s Assassin lineage is revealed. After exploring a kofun once used by Assassins as a headquarters, Naoe and Yasuke discover a journal once owned by a foreigner named Alvaro Catarribera. Yasuke is able to translate the journal to Naoe, and the animus briefly plays select thoughts and memories of Catarribera to the currently unknown modern-day character. Alvaro Catarribera was once a member of theSpanish Brotherhood of Assassinssometime during the 16th century.
Catarribera was a dedicated member of the Brotherhood, constantly fighting for the liberation of others and living by the standards of the Assassin’s Creed. This was until one mission wherein Catarribera accidentally killed an innocent young girl with his hidden blade. Despite being mournful and repentant for his actions, Catarribera was excommunicated from the Spanish Brotherhood. Tormented with nightmares, Catarribera traveled across the world to places such as Malaysia, Taiwan, and China. Here, in Macao, China, Catarribera came upon two Templars and discovered their plot to expand their influence to Japan. Catarribera followed the Templars to Japan in 1549, where he found a renewed drive to live up tothe Assassin’s Creed’s tenetsof liberty and protection of the innocent.
Alvaro Catarribera’s Foundation of the Japanese Brotherhood of Assassins
During his early travels in Japan near Nagasaki, Catarribera rescued a young girl named Tsuyu, who would go on to become Fujibayashi Nagato’s wife and mother to Naoe. Together, Catarribera and Tsuyu founded theJapanese Brotherhood of Assassins, otherwise known as the Kakushiba ikki, with Tsuyu being his first recruit. The two Assassins quickly found new recruits and allies in the form of Fujibayashi Nagato, Hattori Hanzo, Momochi Sandayu, and others, including Emperor Go-Nara, who entrusted the Assassins with the protection of the three Imperial Regalia from the growing Templar threat. Eventually, Catarribera chose to leave Japan for parts unknown but promoted Tsuyu to lead the Kakushiba ikki as a Master Assassin before his departure.
Only Alvaro Catarribera’s voice is heard inAssassin’s Creed Shadows, but his physical appearance could be seen in the ongoingprequel mangaAssassin’s Creed: Shadows – Iga no Monogatari, released simultaneously with the game on March 20th, 2025.
Alvaro Catarribera’s Potential Role in Assassin’s Creed: Codename Hexe and Beyond
It’s currently unknown when Alvaro Catarribera was born or how old he was by the time of Naoe and Yasuke’s founding of the new Kakushiba ikki in 1582. Given his travels and landing in Japan in 1549, it could be estimated that Catarribera is around 50–70 years old if he is still alive duringAssassin’s Creed Shadows’ main events and if he left Spain in his 20s, 30s, or 40s. If Catarribera is alive duringShadows’ events, he could potentially appear inAssassin’s Creed: Codename Hexe. First revealed back in 2022,Codename Hexewill be the next mainlineAssassin’s Creedgame afterShadows, with an expected release sometime in 2026 due toShadows’ many delays.
Not much is officially known aboutCodename Hexe,but rumors and leaks have suggested that the game will be set during the 16th or 17th century witch trials in the Holy Roman Empire. If these rumors turn out to be true,Codename Hexecould potentially feature Alvaro Catarriberain a variety of ways. Witch trials and executions occurred throughout the Holy Roman Empire as early as the 1400s to as late as the late 1700s, so Catarribera could appear in the game either during his time with the Spanish Brotherhood in the early 1500s or post-Japanese Brotherhood in the late 1500s or early 1600s. If it’s the former,Codename Hexecould show players how Catarribera became excommunicated. Otherwise,CodenameHexecould show Catarribera traveling to Europe to connect his Kakushiba ikki with the European Assassins.
The Potential Appearance of Alvaro Catarribera in Assassin’s Creed Shadows DLC
While Alvaro Catarribera could prove to be an interesting connection betweenAssassin’s Creed ShadowsandCodename Hexe, if he does return to Europe in the upcoming game, he may still appear in futureShadowsDLC. The only DLC confirmed forShadowsso far is theClaws of Awaji Expansion, which is set on the island of Awaji and slated to release sometime in 2025.
With Naoe and Yasuke attempting to reclaim a powerful lost treasure on Awaji, likely aPiece of Eden, Catarribera could pop up to aid the two after hearing about the original Kakushiba ikki’s destruction and the disappearance of this treasure. Catarribera’s appearance in the DLC could allow for more backstory and still lead to his appearance inCodename Hexeif he decides to leave for European Assassin aid afterward.
