Ubisoft has postponed the release of Assassin’s Creed Shadows for a second time, now slated for March 20, 2025. Initially scheduled for November 12, 2024, and then moved to February 14, 2025, the game’s production has been experiencing setbacks.
As a die-hard gaming enthusiast, I must admit that this upcoming project from Ubisoft seems to be a make-or-break moment for them. With the current trajectory and the noticeable dip in overall positive vibes from the public, it’s starting to look like a challenging scenario for the esteemed French developer.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows now releases March 20, 2025.
— Assassin’s Creed (@assassinscreed) January 9, 2025
In Ubisoft’s official statement, it framed the delay as a decision to ensure quality.
Ubisoft announced that they are extending the development period for “Assassin’s Creed Shadows” by an extra month, bringing the release date to March 20. This additional time will enable the team to address player feedback from the past three months and fine-tune the game based on community input to ensure a top-notch launch experience.
On the first day, it would be quite invigorating if Ubisoft were to present top-notch quality in their projects. Unfortunately, their previous release of Star Wars: Outlaws was marred with numerous game-halting bugs and glitches upon its debut. The situation became so severe that players who had pre-purchased the game on PlayStation saw their saved games deleted due to a bug fix before the official launch.
Yves Guillemot, Ubisoft’s CEO, echoed similar sentiments, underscoring the game’s grand aspirations while also trying to make it easier on everyone by stating:
*Yves Guillemot, CEO of Ubisoft, shared sentiments that resonated with grandness about the game, yet he also aimed to lessen potential impact by expressing:*
We’re all working diligently on creating the most groundbreaking Assassin’s Creed masterpiece for the series. To ensure we capture player feedback effectively, we’ve opted to extend development for Shadows by an additional month. This will help us fully realize the game’s potential and end the year with a resounding success.
– Yves Guillemot
For the second time, Ubisoft has postponed the release of “Shadows”. Given that this game was intended to rejuvenate the series, the timing is questionable. However, it’s not the first indication of potential issues with this project. But it’s certainly raising some eyebrows.
One point of debate in the game Shadows is its departure from the usual patterns of the franchise. Instead of featuring historical figures such as Leonardo da Vinci, George Washington, or Cleopatra as non-player characters (NPCs) who offer help and quests, like in past games, Shadows presents Yasuke, a historically based Black samurai, as the playable character rather than the traditional Japanese male assassin.
For the first time, a game within the Assassin’s Creed series focuses on a historical character, a move that hasn’t garnered positive reactions from various segments of the gaming community.
Many gamers argue that Yasuke’s addition to the game feels like an unwarranted departure from the core elements of the Shadows series, and they find it disrespectful towards the Japanese culture that is meant to be honored in the game. This has sparked doubts about Ubisoft’s intentions, considering their past involvement in identity politics and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts within their gaming universe.
Some people believe that Ubisoft often adjusts historical facts to align with current societal norms instead of adhering to the original spirit of their franchises, supposedly for the sake of gaining popularity and pushing particular beliefs.
Choosing to include Yasuke as a character in the game has caused some long-term fans to feel disillusioned, as they have been eagerly waiting for a setting based on feudal Japan for more than ten years. They had expected a male protagonist with deep roots in Japanese culture, such as a samurai, ninja, or assassin. However, Ubisoft’s decision to feature Yasuke has left many feeling disconnected from the immersive experience they had anticipated.
With the added complications of delays, these annoyances create a rather bleak image. Maintaining trust within the gaming community has proven challenging for Ubisoft, and the issues related to the release of Shadows have certainly intensified this struggle.
It’s no secret that Ubisoft, as we earlier mentioned at That Park Place, is currently grappling with financial hurdles. These delays pose a significant challenge for the French gaming giant. The company has seen a steep fall in its market worth – from a staggering $12.17 billion in January 2021 to just $1.78 billion by January 2025, representing an alarming 85% drop.
The company is deeply in debt with obligations surpassing $2 billion, leaving it in a precarious situation where potential takeovers or bankruptcy by 2025 are serious possibilities. If Assassin’s Creed Shadows doesn’t succeed, the company stands to lose hundreds of millions, an outcome that would most likely lead to its demise.
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2025-01-09 21:55