Assassin’s Creed Shadows delayed (again) until March 20

The long-awaited Assassin’s Creed Shadows has been delayed yet again, according to a press release. It was supposed to come out on February 14 but Ubisoft has moved the release date to March 20. This is actually the second time it was delayed. It was originally supposed to come out in time for the 2024 holiday season.

The stated reason is the same as the last delay. The developers say they’re using the extra time to continue polishing the game, which has previously been described as “the biggest entry in the franchise.” Ubisoft says it has been continually checking player feedback from the community and making changes accordingly.

However, Variety suggests that another factor could be at play here. Ubisoft is officially preparing itself to be sold, which has been rumored for a while now, and likely wants Assassin’s Creed Shadows to be a bona-fide hit to entice would-be buyers. Star Wars Outlaws was a (relative) dud, which didn’t add many “transformational strategic and capitalistic options to extract the best value for stakeholders.” That language is from today’s press release.

While wrapped up in corporate mumbo-jumbo, this is likely good news for gamers. Modern AAA developers, aside from Nintendo and a few others, like to release bug-infested nightmares and charge folks $70 for the privilege. This could ensure that the Japan-set Assassin’s Creed Shadows ends up being one of the better entries in the franchise at launch, and not a few years down the line.