In the ongoing wait for Assassin’s Creed Shadows, the game has fallen into quite a spat of controversy. One of the biggest among the community since its reveal was the addition of co-antagonist Yasuke. While Assassin’s Creed has been known to follow historical accuracy, fans online are vocally against the character due to the claim of lacking evidence for the African Samurai. 

Atop of that, many are against other aspects that Ubisoft confirmed as well. Such as the necessity to be connected online to start the single player mode for the game. The publisher itself even responded to some of the feedback that its fans weren’t shy of holding back. However, Ubisoft began taking these criticisms into consideration it appears with planned appearances being pulled by the firm this week.

Now in a new update on Wednesday, Ubisoft announces Assassin’s Creed Shadows will now be moving to a new release date set for February 14. What’s more is that the publishers is also removing its Season Pass approach for post-launch support moving forward.

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, with Naoe and Yasuke bringing two very different gameplay styles.

We are departing from the traditional Season Pass model. All players will be able to enjoy the game at the same time on February 14 and those who preorder the game will be granted the first expansion for free. The game will mark the return of our new releases on Steam Day 1.

On X, Ubisoft also issued a lengthy letterhead elaborating on the decision made for Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ delay. “Assassin’s Creed Shadows is a dream project for us; finally bringing the series to Feudal Japan with many features developed with our community in mind, such as parkour or the renewed stealth, brought by new technology, all set in a beautiful and immersive world.

“This is an ambitious addition to the franchise, a rich experience that can be lived through the eyes of two unique protagonists – but we realize we need more time to polish and refine the experience, pushing further some of our key features,” the statement reads. “The game will release on a broad range of platforms, including Steam at launch. Additionally, preorders will be refunded and all future preorders will be granted the first expansion for free.

“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. Rest assured we are looking forward to the moment you will embark on a memorable adventure with Naoe and Yasuke.”

Are you surprised by Ubisoft’s decision to delay Assassin’s Creed Shadows?

Assassin’s Creed Shadows now launches on February 14, 2025 for Xbox Series X|S PlayStation 5, PC, and Luna.

Source: Ubisoft