LogInContrary to Ubisoft's modus operandi, the game will be released on Steam.
Ubisoft
Following Ubisoft's withdrawal from the ongoing Tokyo Game Show, seen by many as unexpected considering how great of an opportunity it is to promote Assassin's Creed Shadows, a game with a Japanese setting, directly in Japan, the development studio has shared an even more unexpected announcement revealing that the new installment in the AC franchise is getting postponed until February 14, 2025.
According to the official note posted by Ubisoft, the delay was due to the studio needing more time to iron out the experience and refine some of Shadows' key features. Moreover, the developer will refund all the existing pre-orders, while future pre-orders will allow players to get the game's first DLC free of charge. Contrary to Ubisoft's usual approach, Assassin's Creed Shadows will be released not only on the Epic Games Store and Ubisoft Store but also on Steam.
"We understand this decision will come as disappointing news, but we sincerely believe this is in the best interest of the game, and ultimately your experience as a player," said Ubisoft's Marc-Alexis Côté.
A letter from Ubisoft to investors offers more insight into the postponement, stating that "while the game is feature complete, the learnings from the Star Wars Outlaws release led us to provide additional time to further polish the title."
These "learnings" likely refer to Outlaws' financial underperformance, which Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot highlighted in an internal memo to staff. Shockingly, the 10-out-of-10s given to the game by the definitely-not-biased critics do not correlate with sales numbers, which, according to Guillemot, "proved softer than expected" and are presumed to be more in line with Outlaws' user rating of 5.4/10.
The news about Assassin's Creed Shadows comes at a turbulent time for Ubisoft. Recently, a minority investor urged the company to replace its entire management, starting with the CEO, arguing that "the current trajectory of Ubisoft under the existing management and governance is unsustainable." Coupled with the company's share price hitting its lowest point in over 11 years and the announcement of Ghost of Tsushima's sequel Ghost of Yōtei, a game with a Japanese setting that many already believe will far surpass the new Assassin's Creed title, it sure seems that the need to refine Shadows' features is not the primary reason for its delay.
What do you think about the delay? What other reasons could Ubisoft have to postpone the game? Leave your thoughts in the comments and don't forget to join our 80 Level Talent platform and our Telegram channel, follow us on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, TikTok, and Reddit, where we share breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more.