Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed Shadows has been delayed once again, now set to release on March 20, 2025. While delays are nothing new in the gaming industry, the reaction to this particular shift has been intense. For Ubisoft, the stakes couldn’t be higher. With the company facing financial struggles and a mixed track record of late, many are wondering whether this decision reflects smart strategy or desperate scrambling.
Timeline of Assassin’s Creed Shadows Delays
September 2022 Ubisoft announces Assassin’s Creed: Codename Red (later renamed Assassin’s Creed Shadows) during Ubisoft Forward. The game is initially planned for release in 2024.
May 15, 2024 Ubisoft unveils the final title Assassin’s Creed Shadows and announces a release date of November 15, 2024.
September 25, 2024 Ubisoft delays the game from November 15, 2024, to February 14, 2025. The company cites the need for further polishing and learnings from the poor reception of Star Wars Outlaws, released in August 2024. As part of this delay, Ubisoft cancels the game’s season pass, refunds existing pre-orders, and commits to offering the first expansion free for future pre-orders.
January 9, 2025 Ubisoft announces another delay, pushing the release from February 14, 2025, to March 20, 2025. The reasons include allowing developers more time for additional refinements and aligning the release with Ubisoft’s fiscal year-end on March 31, 2025. Reports suggest this decision may also relate to Ubisoft exploring sale options for the company.
Ubisoft’s High Stakes: Shadows as a Make-or-Break Moment
Ubisoft’s financial position has been under scrutiny, and many in the community believe Shadows represents a critical turning point. As one Reddit user, Dealric, bluntly stated:
“Ubisoft has big streaks of commercial failures. Fun fact: combining the last 16 years of profit and loss, Ubisoft made 170 million. Last 2-3 years they basically lost everything the company ever made. Shadows failing is their death.”
This sentiment was echoed by Sumika2013, who highlighted the company’s dependence on past successes:
“Ubisoft put a lot of weight behind several games that flopped—Skull and Bones, Star Wars Outlaws. Even if Shadows does well, it might not be enough to save them.”
Another commenter, Roy_Atticus_Lee, emphasized the unique pressure Ubisoft faces:
“I genuinely wonder how many games have existed whereupon its individual success determines whether or not a publisher goes down under or gets bought out. Individual dev studios getting shut down after a single bad release is common, but Ubisoft is a giant. Shadows’ performance will be pivotal.”
Ubisoft’s share price over the past five years has consistently fallen. Source: Bing Search with data from Refinitiv. Price in Euros.
A Delay That’s About More Than Polishing
The March release date has sparked significant debate over Ubisoft’s motivations. While the official reasoning points to additional polish, many believe the delay is more about avoiding a crowded February release window. February 2025 features several major titles, including Kingdom Come 2, Civ VII, Avowed, and Monster Hunter Wilds.
As Radulno explained:
“February is stacked: Kingdom Come 2, Civ VII, Avowed, Monster Hunter Wilds. Moving to March was the only sensible move Ubisoft could make.”
Others, like Buzz_Shocker, saw the financial reasoning behind the timing:
“A month later and they’d have lower Q4 revenue. They have to release in March to bolster their fiscal year earnings, even if it means competing with niche games. It’s all about timing for Ubisoft.”
Some fans believe the short delay doesn’t inspire much confidence. As SyleSpawn noted:
“AAA devs pushing a game by 1 month is never a good sign. What I see here is Ubisoft trying to distance itself from February’s crowded release window, hoping to save face in Q4. This isn’t about polishing the game.”
Mixed Expectations for Shadows
The delay has reignited debates over Ubisoft’s ability to deliver a standout title. Many fans are cautiously optimistic, while others are skeptical of whether Shadows will meet expectations.
SternballAllDay expressed doubt about the game’s blockbuster potential:
“All Assassin’s Creed games sell well, but Shadows won’t be the blockbuster Ubisoft needs. It’ll likely sell decently but fall short of the monumental success they’re banking on.”
Meanwhile, MobilePenguins predicted a middling reception:
“This game will likely be okay—not great, not terrible—just mid. Reviews might land around 8/10, but Ubisoft needs a smash hit, not ‘fine’ at this point.”
However, not all fans are pessimistic. Massive_Weiner pointed out that mainstream audiences may not share the negativity seen online:
“Every IRL person I’ve talked to is hyped for AC: Ninja Edition. The ‘discourse’ hasn’t even reached the average gamer.”
Looking Ahead: Can Shadows Deliver?
Ubisoft has a lot riding on Assassin’s Creed Shadows. The company’s financial stability, reputation, and even its future as an independent publisher could hinge on this release. As Sumika2013 noted:
“Ubisoft as a company is in the dumps both sales-wise and in terms of public reception. The Assassin’s Creed brand doesn’t exactly have the pull it does. And I guarantee they are setting their sales figures for Shadows based on how Valhalla did, without realizing that Valhalla did the numbers it did in part due to COVID numbers. And that it’s not likely to be repeated in the same way.”
With just a few months until release, fans and critics alike will be watching closely to see whether Shadows marks a new era for Ubisoft or a swan song for one of gaming’s biggest publishers.
AJ has been Editor-In-Chief of Outsider Gaming since 2024. He first began gaming on a Nintendo 64 in the 90s, eventually moving on to Gameboys and Xboxes, before landing on his platform of choice, the PC. His all-time favorite games include Rimworld, The Sims, Football Manager, Rocket League, Factorio, Crusader Kings, Europa Universalis, Rust, Cities Skylines, and Project Zomboid. Reach out at aj [at] pixelpeninsula [dot] com.
