Ubisoft: Assassin's Creed Shadows Preorders 'Solid,' Match Odyssey

Ubisoft has expressed confidence in the upcoming open-world adventure, Assassin's Creed Shadows, despite its challenging development and promotional period. According to the company's latest financial report, "preorders for the game are tracking solidly, in line with those of Assassin's Creed Odyssey, the second most successful entry of the franchise." Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot reinforced this optimism, emphasizing the company's full focus on the game's launch scheduled for March 20.

Early previews of Assassin's Creed Shadows have been largely positive, with critics praising its narrative depth and immersive experience. The game features a dual protagonist approach, which has been lauded for the quality and complementarity of its gameplay. Guillemot commended the dedication of the development team, stating, "I want to commend the incredible talent and dedication of the entire Assassin’s Creed team, who is working tirelessly to ensure that Shadows delivers on the promise of what is the franchise’s most ambitious entry yet."

Originally set for a November release, Assassin's Creed Shadows was first delayed to February 14, and then further postponed to its current release date of March 20. This game carries significant expectations, not only as the long-awaited Japan-set entry and the first full Assassin's Creed title since 2020, but also as a crucial release for Ubisoft, which has faced recent flops and investor pressure.

Despite these high hopes, Assassin's Creed Shadows has faced a rocky promotional period. The development team has had to issue apologies for inaccuracies in the game's depiction of Japan and for unauthorized use of a historical recreation group's flag. Additionally, collectible figure maker PureArts had to pull an Assassin's Creed Shadows statue from sale due to its "insensitive" design. Coupled with the multiple delays, these issues have contributed to growing impatience among fans.