Assassin’s Creed Shadows, the next high-profile release from Ubisoft, has just received a delay from its planned release date. Previously set to launch on November 12,Assassin’s Creed Shadowsis set to take the pulpy historical franchise to the long-requested setting of Japan for the first time in the history of the series. Dual protagonists Yasuke and Naoe offer two different styles of play, making it possible to approach missions with both brawling power and refined stealth.
As reported byJason Schreieron Twitter and confirmed by the officialAssassin’s Creedaccount,Assassin’s Creed Shadowshas been delayed to August 03, 2025. The official statement also notes thatit will be available to play on Steam at launch, diverging from a recent pattern of timed exclusivity on the Epic Games Store and Ubisoft Connect platforms. Pre-orders for the game are being refunded, and pre-ordering in the future will provide access to the first expansion for free.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows Could Benefit From The Delay
The delay ofAssassin’s Creed Shadowscomes across as a thoroughly considered course correction, following a number of major releases from Ubisoft that have underperformed in recent years. Giving up the spot ahead of the holiday season is a blow, but it could give the game more time to avoid the kind ofbugs that riddledStar Wars Outlawsat launch.
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The Steam launch is also huge news that could significantly boost PC salesat the starting line. Although Ubisoft games still require the Ubisoft Connect launcher even when purchased on Steam, many PC players prefer to collect their games in a Steam library, and timed exclusivity tends to mute the excitement around releases. It certainly doesn’t feel like it helpedAvatar: Frontiers of PandoraorStar Wars Outlaws, which both failed to capture the hype that surrounds film releases in their respective franchises.
Schreieralso confirmed that there’s no early access incentive tied to a season pass forAssassin’s Creed Shadows, soeveryone will be able to access the game at the same time without having to pay extra. All the modifications to the release trade potential extra avenues for cash in favor of a release with more widespread appeal, moves that should directly benefit the average fan and potentially generate more sales in exchange. In a market increasingly driven by extracting more money from willing spenders at the expense of others, these are refreshing changes.
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WhetherAssassin’s Creed Shadowscandeliver an excellent experienceat launch remains to be seen, and the delay might mean that the game is currently in rough shape. It certainly stands a better chance now than if it had retained the original date, however, so a bit of patience might prove to be worthwhile.Assassin’s Creed Shadowsabandoning its 2024 plans isn’t ideal, but PC players can at least celebrate a launch that will be available on a common platform of choice.
Source: Jason Schreier/Twitter (1,2),Assassin’s Creed/Twitter
Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Set during Japan’s Sengoku period, two distinct protagonists—Naoe, a shinobi, and Yasuke, a historical African samurai—must navigate political intrigue and violent clashes between the Assassins and Templars. Players can switch between stealthy, shadow-based gameplay with Naoe and Yasuke’s direct combat approach, exploring the duality of their missions in a beautifully rendered open world.
