Ubisoft Delays Assassin’s Creed Shadows to February 2025, Drops Season Pass
Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Ubisoft’s upcoming Japanese action-adventure title, has been delayed until next year. The game was originally set to release on November 15, but will now release on February 14, 2025 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series S/X, despite being in a “feature complete” state. Ubisoft cited the disappointing launch of Star Wars Outlaws and said the extra time will be used to further polish the next Assassin’s Creed game.
The company also updated its financial outlook for fiscal year 2024-25 based on the decision to delay Assassin’s Creed Shadows and the “softer than expected” launch of Star Wars Outlaws.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows Delayed
Ubisoft said it took player feedback into account in delaying the game to February 2024. “While the game is fully featured, lessons learned from the launch of Star Wars Outlaws prompted us to allow additional time to further polish the title,” the company said in a press release. press release Wednesday. “This will allow the biggest addition to the franchise to fully realize its ambition, particularly by delivering on the promise of our dual protagonist adventure, with Naoe and Yasuke bringing two very different gameplay styles.”
Additionally, Ubisoft is also ditching the traditional Season Pass model for the launch of Assassin’s Creed Shadows. The decision follows negative player reactions when Ubisoft revealed that the game would come with a Season Pass that would give owners access to a bonus mission at launch, in addition to two future expansions.
“We are moving away from the traditional Season Pass model,” the company said. “All players will be able to enjoy the game simultaneously on February 14th, and those who pre-order the game will get the first expansion for free.”
Finally, Assassin’s Creed Shadows will be available on Steam from day one, and will also be available via Ubisoft Connect and the Epic Games Store on PC.
The delay and disappointing launch of Star Wars Outlaws has led to Ubisoft revising its financial guidance for FY 2024-25. The French company now expects net bookings of around €1.95 billion (approximately Rs. 18,194 crore). Net bookings for the second quarter of FY 2024-25 are now expected to be around €350-370 million (approximately Rs. 3,266 crore-Rs. 3,452 crore).
Star Wars Outlaws sales disappoint
Following the disappointing sales of Star Wars Outlaws (Ubisoft did not disclose how many copies have been sold), Ubisoft is also planning a series of updates to polish the game and improve the player experience. Taking into account player feedback, the company claimed that its development teams were now “fully mobilized” to release updates to attract more players during the holiday season. Ubisoft also confirmed that Star Wars Outlaws would be available on Steam on November 21.
In a statement, Ubisoft CEO and co-founder Yves Guillemot said the company will continue to focus on open-world games and live-service titles despite disappointing launches in both genres in 2024. This year, the company released Skull and Bones and XDefiant, both live-service games that failed to impress players.
“While the tangible benefits of the company’s transformation are taking longer to materialize than expected, we remain committed to our strategy of focusing on two key verticals: Open World Adventures and GaaS-native experiences, all with the goal of driving growth, iteration and robust free cash flow generation across our business,” Guillemot said.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows controversy
The chief executive also appeared to address the controversy surrounding Assassin’s Creed Shadows without specifically naming the game. Since the announcement, which confirmed that the game would feature real-life historical figure Yasuke, a samurai of African descent, as one of its two protagonists, Assassin’s Creed Shadows has faced racist backlash online.
While the game received fair criticism pre-launch for its price and season pass strategy, several commentators and YouTubers accused the game of pushing a progressive “agenda” with the addition of a black protagonist. However, Guillemot did not address the hateful discourse surrounding the game and appeared to appease players.
“I want to reiterate that we are an entertainment-first company, making games for the broadest possible audience, and it is not our goal to push any specific agenda,” he said. “We remain committed to making games for fans and players that everyone can enjoy.”
