Ubisoft Puts the Brakes on Assassin’s Creed Shadows: Fans Left in the Dark Again

Gaming titan Ubisoft has declared an additional postponement for its forthcoming Assassin’s Creed Shadows.

This long-established series is among the main franchises for the French publisher, with the latest edition, Valhalla, reportedly grossing over $1bn.

Originally slated for release on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox last November, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, set in 16th Century Japan, faced an initial delay to February 2025.

During the announcement of the new release date set for March 20, executive producer Marc-Alexis Coté stated that “a few extra weeks are required” to guarantee a seamless game launch.

Gamers expressed dissatisfaction that Ubisoft’s significant 2024 release, Star Wars Outlaws, was released with numerous bugs and issues.

The company’s executives informed investors that the sci-fi tie-in’s performance was “weaker than anticipated” and mentioned that “lessons” learned from Outlaws’ debut led to the original postponement of Assassin’s Creed Shadows.

In his update, Mr. Coté expressed gratitude to fans for their continued support and indicated that the additional time would assist the development team in integrating “constructive feedback” from players.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows is regarded as a significant title for Ubisoft, which is one of the leading gaming enterprises globally, employing around 13,000 people worldwide.

Other titles for 2024, such as Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown and the pirate-centric online game Skull & Bones, were also reported to have underperformed against the company’s expectations.

Additionally, the company has ceased online shooter XDefiant and shuttered three of its studios.

In a conference call that coincided with the announcement of the Assassin’s Creed delay, CEO Yves Guillemot informed investors that Ubisoft was “implementing decisive measures” to revitalize the company.

The meeting also highlighted their intention to “achieve significant cost savings”, as reported.

BBC Newsbeat earlier conversed with James Batchelor, former editor-in-chief of Gamesindustry.biz, who remarked that the Assassin’s Creed franchise is a “golden goose” for Ubisoft.

He mentioned that shifting the game from its initial November release meant Ubisoft had forfeited chance of sales during the bustling pre-Christmas shopping season.

However, he also indicated that the game would encounter fierce competition in February – a saturated month for high-profile new launches, with titles like Monster Hunter Wilds, Avowed, and Civilization VII also set for release.

Though it had been a “challenging” year for Ubisoft, James informed Newsbeat that colleagues who experienced preview versions of Assassin’s Creed Shadows were impressed with the title.

He also highlighted that its setting in feudal Japan was one that series enthusiasts had long been requesting, and he anticipated that this would boost sales.

“Whether or not it achieves the same sales levels it would have reached in November, or whether it meets their sales expectations, remains to be seen,” he stated.

“But among all the titles they have released over the past year and the wide range of performances they have seen, this one appears to hold the strongest potential and appeal.”

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