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Assassin’s Creed Shadows delayed to 2025 as Ubisoft try to recover from “softer than expected” Star Wars Outlaws launchWill now launch day one on Steam, with no season pass
Will now launch day one on Steam, with no season pass
Image credit:Ubisoft
Image credit:Ubisoft
The AssCreed faithful have waited a thousand years for a sequel set in feudal Japan, birthplace of ninjas and samurai. Woe unto ye dreamers of Ubisoft takes on Tenchu, for you must carry that candle for a little longer.Assassin’s Creed Shadowshas been delayed till next year. It was due to launch on 12th November 2024 - now, it will release on 14th February 2025.
The news comes in the shape ofan updating of Ubisoft’s targetsfor the financial year 2024-2025, primarily in response to the “softer than expected launch forStar Wars Outlaws”. According to Uncle Ubi, Assassin’s Creed Shadows is “feature complete”, but needs more time in the oven to avoid a similarly dismal showing.
In news that will delight the ears of people who think live service expansion roadmaps are the Devil’s downloadables, Ubisoft are also “departing from the traditional Season Pass model”, though players who preorder the game will be granted the first expansion for free. Shadows will also now “mark the return of our new releases on Steam Day 1” - it’ll launch there rather than being exclusive at first on Ubisoft’s own storefront. Makes sense - I’m pretty sure Steam has a larger audience than Ubisoft’s own store, given that I’d forgotten they had one.
The principal audience for these statements are the investors, of course, from whom Ubisoft have beengetting it in the necklately over their slumping share price and lower-than-hoped returns on blockbuster games. In some accompanying exec commentary, CEO Yves Guillemot acknowledges that “our second quarter performance fell short of our expectations” while promising a greater focus on “player-centric, gameplay-first approach and an unwavering commitment to the long-term value of our brands”. He adds that “Open World Adventures and GaaS-native experiences” are Ubisoft’s bread and butter.
I saw Assassin’s Creed Shadows up close at Summer Games Fest, and it seemed fine as Assassin’s Creeds go, withan unusually hearty ratio of stealth and melee. But I can definitely wait till 2025. Delaying an open world blockbusters these days is like postponing a solar eclipse, granting smaller games with no established brand presence a chance to bask in the heat a little. Enjoy the breathing room, uhhhh [checks calendar]Slitterhead!
