Assassin’s Creed Shadows has been delayed again (Ubisoft)
Ubisoft has confirmed an extra month’s delay for Assassin’s Creed Shadows, as they ‘implement feedback’ from fans.
Only earlier today we were discussing just how important Assassin’s Creed Shadows is for Ubisoft, with the company’s entire future potentially resting on how well the game is received.
That point has now been underlined in the clearest terms, as Ubisoft announce the game has been delayed, from February 14 until March 20.
The announcement is extremely vague about what’s changing and why, but it’s apparently the result of feedback received from fans, from recent new gameplay videos and announcements – such as the new parkour system we described earlier today.
‘We believe a few additional weeks are needed to implement that feedback and ensure an even more ambitious and engaging day one experience,’ wrote Marc-Alexis Coté on X.
‘We remain committed to delivering a high quality, immersive experience – fostered by ongoing dialogue between our players and development teams.’
There’s no mention of polishing the game, as there was for the first delay, with the implication being that the problem is not bugs but gameplay elements that fans are not happy about.
A month is not nearly enough time to change anything significant though, so it’s very hard to understand what difference that is going to make at this stage.
Coté promises more updates ‘very soon’ but there’s no indication what form that will take, but it’ll probably just be more videos and blog posts.
Although its Japanese setting has long been a popular fan request, Assassin’s Creed Shadows has been mired in controversy ever since its first unveiling, although much of that has been co-opted by right wing voices complaining about the presence of African samurai Yasuke – who was a real historical figure from the period.
The various complaints led to Ubisoft making a public apology to Japanese fans in July of last year, although it never explained exactly what it was apologising for.
There have been admissions from Ubisoft that the game suffers from historical inaccuracies but, again, there’s been little in the way of concrete examples.
Rumours suggest elements of Yasuke’s story will be changed, as a result of the first delay, since although he was real there’s little detailed information about him, but nothing to suggest that the more obviously fictionalised portrayal of ninja will be revised.
Ubisoft may also have been inspired to change the date because February is an unusually busy month for new releases, with Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, Civilization 7, Avowed, and Monster Hunter Wilds all due out within the same period.
By comparison, March is relatively quiet, although Shadows will now release on the same day as the Xenoblade Chronicles X remaster. As a close partner of Nintendo, Ubisoft almost certainly know the launch date of the Switch 2, so it’s unlikely Shadows will be placed anywhere near that (unless it’s also being released on the new format).
Ninja were more spies than assassins (Ubisoft)
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