Assassin’s Creed Shadows Delayed Again

Initially, it was scheduled for a November 2024 launch, but got pushed back to February 2025. However, there’s now another expected release date for the game called “Assassin’s Creed Shadow”.

Based on the latest announcement from Ubisoft, they have decided to delay the launch of Assassin’s Creed Shadows for a second time.

The provisional launch date has been set for March 20th, but I can’t blame you if you feel hesitant about trusting it again.

This version maintains the original’s tone of caution and skepticism while using more common, everyday language to make it easier for readers to understand and engage with.

The postponement is included as part of a comprehensive strategic evaluation, detailed in our strategic briefing. This assessment aims to provide top-tier player experiences, boost operational effectiveness, and optimize value generation. Ubisoft believes this additional month will enable the team to more effectively integrate player feedback.

Yves Guillemot, co-founder and CEO of Ubisoft, expressed that they aim to produce the grandest installment yet in the Assassin’s Creed series, which aligns with their dedication to quality and ambition. The extended development period is a testament to this commitment.

New Year, New Ubisoft

2024 wasn’t a great year for Ubisoft, marked by one challenge after another. The rollout of XDefiant didn’t go as planned, Skull & Bones and Star Wars Outlaws saw commercial flops, and the release of Assassin’s Creed Shadows was delayed.

In the final stretch of 2024, I found myself deeply invested in setting the stage for a stronger gaming year ahead. The game-changer that really paid off was the revitalization of “Star Wars Outlaws”. This transformation was all thanks to the strategic appointment of Drew Rechner as our creative director.

This year at Ubisoft, Star Wars Outlaws was the top-selling title during the holiday season. However, the company reported earnings for its games were “less than anticipated.” As a result, forecasted revenues for Q3 2024-2025 are now projected to be around €300 million (approximately $310 million).

Today’s announcement reveals that our esteemed experts are being brought in to explore potential investments and maximize returns for shareholders. This process will be overseen by our Board of Directors acting independently. Essentially, the corporation could be weighing acquisition offers.

Regardless if a buyout occurs or not, minimizing expenses is the key focus for this year at Ubisoft. They anticipate saving over €200 million ($206 million) in operational costs compared to 2022-2023. According to the report, the cancellation of XDefiant and studio closures are measures they plan to take in order to achieve this target.

It remains uncertain whether Ubisoft can resolve their issues through strategy changes or acquisition. Postponing the release of Assassin’s Creed Shadows by another month may not sit well with fans, but if this delay leads to a more refined game in March, it could prove beneficial.

It seems that the typical gamer is becoming less patient with Ubisoft games that are left incomplete, which could be the message the company needs to hear in order to regain its momentum.

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2025-01-09 21:38