Assassin’s Creed Shadows: Game Director Discusses How Delayed Release Dates Enhanced Game Quality

In an exclusive discussion with Screen Rant, the Game Director of the much-anticipated Assassin’s Creed Shadows elaborated on the reasoning behind the game’s release delays. Originally slated for a November 2024 launch, the game has faced several postponements, moving to February 2025, and subsequently being rescheduled for March 2025.

Charles Benoit, a seasoned Ubisoft veteran with nearly two decades of experience working on the Assassin’s Creed franchise (as well as titles like Watch Dogs and For Honor), explained that this extended development phase has been devoted primarily to “tweaking and polishing”rather than initiating significant changes to gameplay or design. Benoit emphasized that the focus has been on achieving a balanced progression system while enhancing the fluidity of parkour and combat mechanics.

“The real addition we did [with the delay time], it’s a bit of more going back on the parkour and seeing, okay, what can smooth out the parkour on those roofs? You saw the roofs — there is a lot of complexity in the architecture. So, how can we make it smoother? How can we speed up some transitions?

“And the fights, same thing. Can we polish the realization, make it more impactful? And so, it was more tweaking and polishing more than okay, let’s redo this or adding that. We did some change on the progression balancing, but it’s really minor. We felt we had the experience, but just polishing it and making it more balanced, it really helped for that.”

Understanding the Delays of Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Emphasis on Minor Adjustments Over Major Changes

Assassin's Creed Shadows World Trailer Screenshot

Yasuke and Naoe Combat Poses in Assassin's Creed Shadows

Open World Scene in Assassin's Creed Shadows

Eagle Vision in Assassin's Creed Shadows

Despite concerns among fans regarding the status of Assassin’s Creed Shadows following its delays, Benoit’s insights reveal that these extra months have been utilized to enhance essential game components rather than undertake significant redesigns. The focus on fine-tuning mechanics, especially parkour—a hallmark of the franchise—promises a more polished player experience. This dedication to perfecting the core mechanics should ease fears, particularly given the issues faced during the launch of Assassin’s Creed Unity, which was plagued by technical difficulties related to parkour.

Our Perspective: Delays Can Be Beneficial

Resolving Technical Issues for a Smoother Launch

While delays are often met with disappointment from eager fans, they are typically in the best interest of game quality. Following technical difficulties encountered with the launch of Star Wars Outlaws, Ubisoft mentioned incorporating players’ “valuable feedback”to improve future titles. These lessons learned likely influenced the decision to delay Assassin’s Creed Shadows. The extra development time allows the team to refine the gameplay experience in an immersive 16th-century Japan setting.

With 2024 deemed a challenging year for Ubisoft, marked by lukewarm receptions for titles like XDefiant and Skull and Bones, the focus on quality for Assassin’s Creed Shadows reflects a commitment to delivering a superior product. Although the wait may test fans’ patience, it aims to result in a thrilling, unforgettable addition to the acclaimed franchise in Assassin’s Creed Shadows.

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