Ubisoft is making some big, last-minute changes. The next game in the Assassin’s Creed franchise has been pushed into next year, according to a statement the company published Wednesday, due in part to the lower-than-expected performance of Star Wars Outlaws.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows, which is set in feudal Japan and has two playable protagonists, has been delayed from November 15, 2024, to February 14, 2025, to give the developers more time to “polish and refine the experience.”
“We understand this decision will come as disappointing news, especially to those who’ve been waiting patiently for an Assassin’s Creed game inspired by Feudal Japan, but we sincerely believe this is in the best interest of the game, and ultimately your experience as a player,” franchise executive producer Marc-Alexis Côté said in a statement published on X (formerly Twitter).
Assassin's Creed Shadows will now release February 14, 2025. pic.twitter.com/J2ah7kkytW
— Assassin's Creed (@assassinscreed) September 25, 2024
Publisher Ubisoft simultaneously released a statement to its investors announcing the news, adding that the release of the open-world Star Wars Outlaws, which earned less than expected, resulted in Ubisoft having to make some changes.
“While the game is feature complete, the learnings from the Star Wars Outlaws release led us to provide additional time to further polish the title. This will enable the biggest entry in the franchise to fully deliver on its ambition, notably by fulfilling the promise of our dual protagonist adventure,” it read.
Based on this, along with player feedback, Ubisoft is also removing the season pass model, which has been in place for a number of recent releases, including Star Wars Outlaws. This extra purchase means that owners get access to DLC at no additional cost, but also that there won’t be an early access period. Everybody will get access to Assassin’s Creed Shadows on February 14.
If that weren’t enough, Ubisoft is also bringing Assassin’s Creed Shadows and Star Wars Outlaws to Steam, allowing PC players to skip having to use the Ubisoft launcher exclusively.
Star Wars Outlaws’ soft performance seems to have spooked Ubisoft leadership, with the quick implementation and announcement of these changes. The Assassin’s Creed Shadows delay is very last-minute for a Ubisoft game already with a release date as well, with the developers going through a consistent marketing campaign since announcing the full game in May. CEO Yves Guillemot also announced that the company will be launching a review “aimed at further improving our execution, notably in this player-centric approach.”
While Ubisoft hasn’t released Star Wars Outlaws sales numbers yet, Ubisoft’s shares dropped following its release. The drop was also partially influenced by plummeting interest in the free-to-play shooter XDefiant, according to analysts.
People began to speculate about a potential delay earlier this week after Ubisoft pulled out of the Tokyo Game Show 2024 broadcast two days before it was set to air. There was also a report from Insider Gaming that Ubisoft had canceled press previews that were scheduled for next week.
