New Report Reveals Development Challenges for Assassin's Creed Shadows

According to a recent report from a prominent industry insider, the developers behind Assassin's Creed Shadows have been pushing for a delay for several months, and Ubisoft has finally agreed to their requests. This insider also provided additional insights into the ongoing development challenges faced by the team.

Assassin's Creed Shadows has been in the works since late 2018, as evidenced by various LinkedIn profiles of Ubisoft Quebec employees. While the company initially set a release date of November 15, 2024, it later announced a three-month postponement in late September. Ubisoft attributed this delay to a desire to dedicate more time to polishing the game.

Developers Seek Delay Amid Concerns

Tom Henderson from Insider Gaming reports that Ubisoft Quebec developers had been advocating for a delay for several months. Their requests gained traction following the underwhelming performance of Star Wars Outlaws, which faced criticism for various technical issues. With the additional three months, Ubisoft Quebec aims to address not only bugs but also concerns related to "cultural and historical accuracy" raised by the Japanese community, according to unnamed sources familiar with the situation.

Adjustments to Yasuke's Portrayal

As part of these efforts, the developers plan to revise aspects of Yasuke's story and his representation in the game. The report indicates that Ubisoft is also reviewing architectural details and the overall portrayal of the historical setting in Assassin's Creed Shadows. Although some of these revisions typically occur much earlier in the development process, the ambitious nature of the project has led Ubisoft to involve historical experts and consultants later than usual.

Pre-Order Numbers Underwhelm Compared to Valhalla

In addition to addressing historical accuracy, the delay is intended to provide Ubisoft Quebec with more time to refine certain gameplay mechanics. Henderson reiterated in his latest report that pre-order numbers for Assassin's Creed Shadows are "solid," but they have not yet matched those of Assassin's Creed Valhalla. This shortfall may be attributed to the fact that the 2020 release was a cross-generation title, thus reaching a significantly larger audience of console players.

In light of the delays affecting its flagship franchise, Ubisoft has also announced an internal investigation into its development challenges. The company stated that the aim of the inquiry is to identify strategies for improving its game development practices.