Ubisoft’s latest big release is facing another delay.
In an update shared on Thursday, Ubisoft announced that Assassin’s Creed Shadows will now launch on March 20, 2025. Initially scheduled for November 2024, the game’s release was first pushed back to February 2025 to allow more time for refinement.
According to Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot, the decision to delay once again stems from a desire to deliver the “most ambitious entry in the Assassin’s Creed series.” The extra month, he explained, is needed to integrate player feedback gathered over the last three months, ensuring the game meets its full potential and caps off the year with a strong performance.
Pushing Assassin’s Creed Shadows to March positions it more favorably in the release schedule, avoiding direct competition. February is already crowded with big releases like Xbox and Obsidian’s Avowed and Capcom’s Monster Hunter Wilds. However, Ubisoft’s game will still go head-to-head with Ghost of Yōtei. This eagerly anticipated sequel from PlayStation and Sucker Punch Productions doesn’t have a set date yet but is also eyeing a 2025 release.
The Assassin’s Creed series has been a cornerstone for Ubisoft, ever since the massive success of 2020’s Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, set amidst Viking lore. Looking ahead, Ubisoft is also delving into its archives, planning remakes of older installments, including a rumored comeback for 2013’s fan-favorite Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag, which famously let players experience the life of a pirate.
### Financial Challenges for Ubisoft Continue
Recently, Ubisoft has been navigating rough waters, citing poor performance from games like Star Wars Outlaws as setbacks. Just before the year’s close, the company announced it would cease operations for the free-to-play shooter XDefiant by June 2025, leading to the closure of its San Francisco, Sydney, and Osaka studios and resulting in the layoff of roughly 277 staff members.
Amid these struggles, Ubisoft’s leadership is contemplating selling the company. Guillemot pointed out that advisors have been brought on board to explore a variety of strategic opportunities to maximize the company’s asset value.
There has been ongoing chatter about a possible buyout involving the Guillemot family alongside Chinese giant Tencent. Such a deal could potentially take Ubisoft private. Currently, Ubisoft holds the cloud gaming rights for Activision Blizzard King titles under a deal with Microsoft, facilitating Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard King as of October 2023.
For now, mark your calendars for March 20, 2025, for the release of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, set to be available on platforms such as Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC (including Steam and the Epic Games Store), PlayStation 5, Mac, and Amazon Luna.
