Assassin’s Creed Shadows, the highly anticipated title encompassing the franchise’s first venture into feudal Japan, has once again experienced a delay in its release. Originally scheduled for November 12, 2024, Ubisoft recently announced a revised release date of February 14, 2025. However, as of today, the game has faced yet another shift.
Now, Assassin’s Creed Shadows is set to launch on March 20, 2025. This decision was made public via the official Ubisoft UK account on X (formerly Twitter). The announcement explained that the additional month would allow the development team to integrate player feedback received during the game’s preview phase. It’s noteworthy that, unlike the original three-month postponement, this adjustment is much more concise.
Reasons Behind the Delay of Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Development Time & “Transformational Options”
Assassin’s Creed Shadows now releases 20th March 2025. pic.twitter.com/Z2x7lxw4TX — Ubisoft UK (@Ubisoft_UK) January 9, 2025
Marc-Alexis Coté from Ubisoft has articulated the need for this delay, emphasizing that additional time is necessary for the development team to effectively incorporate the feedback from players. Through a range of gameplay overviews released as blog posts and videos, Ubisoft has actively solicited player insights, encouraging involvement and discussion within their robust social media community. However, this engagement has not been without its controversies.
Despite any challenges, Ubisoft has benefited from constructive criticism, which they are now leveraging to enhance the game’s quality. This information was highlighted in a press release from Ubisoft, shared on X by Wario64, indicating a positive trend in fan feedback. The company is determined to maintain close collaboration with players throughout this extended development period.
Yves Guillemot (Ubisoft) – "We also recently appointed leading advisors and are actively exploring various strategic and capitalistic options to unlock the full value potential of our assets. We are convinced that there are several potential paths to generate value from Ubisoft’s… pic.twitter.com/6OaMiCloev — Wario64 (@Wario64) January 9, 2025
The press release further reveals that the company is currently engaging with “leading advisors”to explore “transformational and strategic options”that can maximize stakeholder value. Co-founder and CEO Yves Guillemot elaborated:
“Additionally, we are all behind our teams’ efforts to create the most ambitious Assassin’s Creed opus of the franchise and made the decision to provide an extra month of development to Shadows in order to better incorporate the player feedback gathered over the past three months that will enable us to fully deliver on the potential of the game and finish the year on a strong note.”
Our Perspective: Patience is Key for Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Delayed Games: A Historical Insight
An age-old saying suggests that a delayed game is merely late until its release, while a bad game remains poor indefinitely. Although modern updates can mitigate some flaws post-launch, the essence of this adage still holds. Extra time for development is almost always beneficial, paving the way for improved game quality and potentially alleviating work-related stress for developers.
Ubisoft’s decision to delay the game reflects a commitment to crafting a quality product while valuing player input. As a fan eagerly anticipating Assassin’s Creed Shadows, I was equally excited for the February 14 release. Yet, prioritizing developer wellbeing and ensuring the highest-quality game experience is a trade-off I’m willing to make.
For further details, explore these sources: Ubisoft UK/X, Ubisoft/YouTube, Wario64/X
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