Remember howAssassin’s Creed Shadowwas supposed to come out in November 2024, thenslipped to February 2025? Well, a third release date is now available.
According toa fresh Ubisoft press release,the company has elected to push the release date ofAssassin’s Creed Shadowsa second time.
The new tentative release date is March 20, though you would not be at fault for doubting whether to trust this a third time around.
Ubisoft Responds To Abuse Allegations Within Assassin’s Creed Shadows Team
The comments follow a new exposé on the work conditions at Brandoville.
The delay is part of a broader strategic reviewoutlined in the strategic update, which aims to “deliver best-in-class player experiences, enhance operational efficiency, and maximize value creation.” Ubisoft hopes the extra month will “allow the team to better incorporate the player feedback.”
Ubisoft co-founder and CEO Yves Guillemot has said the team hopes “to create themost ambitiousAssassin’s Creedopus of the franchise”, and the added development time reflects this commitment.
New Year, New Ubisoft
It is no secret that 2024 was not a good year at Ubisoft. The company hit one snag after another, with the abortive launch ofXDefiant, theSkull & BonesandStar Wars Outlawscommercial failures, and delays inAssassin’s Creed Shadowsstanding out.
The last quarter of 2024 was primarily dedicated to building a foundation for a healthier 2025, with the mostimmediate successbeing theStar Wars Outlawsturnaround thanks tothe appointment of creative director Drew Rechner.
Star Wars Outlawswas the star of the holiday sales this year for Ubisoft, butthe company reported “lower than expected” numbers for its titles.Reflecting this, the Q3 2024-2025 bookings are now expected to be around €300 million (approximately $310 million).
Assassin’s Creed Shadows To Feature “Naruto Run” And Fastest Assassin Ubisoft Has Ever Made
Ubisoft has thrown in a little Easter egg in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, as it lets your character do the “Naruto run” in-game.
Today’s press release mentions the appointment of “leading advisors to review and pursue” new investment opportunities to “extract the best value for stakeholders”, under the independent supervision of the Board of Directors. In other words, the company is considering takeover options.
Whether a concrete buyout materializes or not, cost-cutting is the name of the game this year. Ubisoft “expects to exceed €200 million in reduction” (or around $206 million) of operating costs compared to 2022-2023. The report mentions theXDefiantandstudio closuresas steps toward this goal.
It is difficult to say whether the shift in strategy or a potential takeover will fix Ubisoft’s woes.HoldingAssassin’s Creed Shadowsback for another month is an unpopular decision, but if the extra time truly results in a more polished game come March, it will be worth it.
The average gamer has developed a low tolerance for unfinished Ubisoft games, so this might just be the statement the company needs to get back in its stride.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows Reveals Combat Overview
Combat changes based on your weapon and protagonist.
