The rumors were true: Ubisoft has just delayed Assassin’s Creed Shadows to February 14, 2025. The reason to do so was the softer-than-expected performance of Star Wars Outlaws, which contributed to a disappointing financial result in Ubisoft’s second quarter (following the stock price crash from a couple of weeks ago).
Ubisoft aims to polish the game even further to avoid a similar issue, hence the delay. Furthermore, Assassin’s Creed Shadows is abandoning the Season Pass model; the game will launch for everyone on the same day (instead of the early access launch of the more expensive editions), and pre-orders will enjoy the first expansion for free. Lastly, Assassin’s Creed Shadows will be available on Steam on day one, marking a return to Valve’s platform after Ubisoft had tried to sell its games via Ubisoft Connect and the Epic Games Store.
Star Wars Outlaws will be the first game to make the jump. It is due to launch on Steam on November 21, and Ubisoft Massive is said to be at work on a series of updates to improve the player’s experience and position the game as a ‘long-term performer’.
Ubisoft CEO and Co-Founder Yves Guillemot commented on the Assassin’s Creed Shadows and Star Wars Outlaws news with the following statement:
Our second quarter performance fell short of our expectations, prompting us to address this swiftly and firmly, with an even greater focus on a player-centric, gameplay-first approach and an unwavering commitment to the long-term value of our brands.
Although the tangible benefits of the Company’s transformation are taking longer than anticipated to materialize, we keep on our strategy, focusing on two key verticals – Open World Adventures and GaaS-native experiences – with the objective to drive growth, recurrence and robust free cash flow generation in our business.
In the light of recent challenges, we acknowledge the need for greater efficiency while delighting players. As a result, beyond the first important short-term actions undertaken, the Executive Committee, under the supervision of the Board of Directors, is launching a review aimed at further improving our execution, notably in this player-centric approach, and accelerating our strategic path towards a higher performing model to the benefit of our stakeholders and shareholders.
Finally, let me address some of the polarized comments around Ubisoft lately. I want to reaffirm that we are an entertainment-first company, creating games for the broadest possible audience, and our goal is not to push any specific agenda. We remain committed to creating games for fans and players that everyone can enjoy.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows now joins an already super-cramped February that includes Civilization VII and Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 on February 11, Avowed and the first episode of Lost Records: Bloom & Rage on February 18, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii and Monster Hunter Wilds on February 28.
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