Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Ubisoft’s upcoming action-adventure game set in Japan, has been pushed back to next year. The game was originally scheduled for November 15th, but will now launch on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series S/X on February 14th, 2025, despite being in a “feature development” state. Ubisoft cited the failed launch of Star Wars Outlaws and said the extra time would be used to further improve the next Assassin’s Creed game.

The company also updated its financial outlook for the 2024-25 financial year based on the decision to delay Assassin’s Creed Shadows and the “softer than expected” launch of Star Wars Outlaws.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows has been delayed

Ubisoft said it is taking player feedback into account to delay the game’s release to February 2024. “While the game is feature-ready, learnings from the release of Star Wars Outlaws prompted us to allow additional time to further improve the title,” the company said. press release on Wednesday. “This will allow the franchise’s biggest member to fully realize its ambitions, particularly fulfilling the promise of our two-protagonist adventure, in which Naoe and Yasuke create two very different play styles.”

In addition, Ubisoft is also abandoning the traditional Season Pass model for the launch of Assassin’s Creed Shadows. The decision came after backlash from players when Ubisoft announced that the game would come with a Season Pass that would give owners access to a bonus quest at launch, in addition to two upcoming expansions.

“We are moving away from the traditional Season Pass model,” the company said. “All players will be able to enjoy the game at the same time on February 14, and those who pre-order the game will receive the first expansion for free.”

Finally, day one of Assassin’s Creed Shadows will also launch on Steam, and will also be available on Ubisoft Connect and the Epic Games Store on PC.

The delay and failed launch of Star Wars Outlaws has led Ubisoft to revise its financial targets for the 2024-25 financial year. The French company now expects net bookings of around €1.95 billion (roughly Rs. 18,194 crore). Net bookings for the second quarter of FY2024-25 are expected to be around EUR 350-370 million (Rs. 3,266-Rs. 3,452 approx.).

Sales of Star Wars Outlaws are disappointing

After the disappointing sales of Star Wars Outlaws (Ubisoft did not disclose the number of units sold), Ubisoft is also planning a series of updates to improve the game and improve the player experience. Taking player feedback into account, the company said its development teams are “fully mobilized” to release updates to attract more players during the festive season. Ubisoft also confirmed that Star Wars Outlaws will be available on Steam on November 21st.

In a statement, Ubisoft CEO and co-founder Yves Guillaume said the company will continue to focus on open-world games and live services despite the failed launch of both genres in 2024. This year the company released Skull and Bones and XDefiant. , both live service games that failed to impress players.

“While it will take longer than expected to realize tangible benefits from the Company’s transformation, we are continuing our strategy of focusing on two key verticals – Open World Adventures and GaaS-native experiences – to drive growth, repeatability and solid free cash flow. creating flow in our business,” said Guillemot.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows Controversy

The executive also seemed to address the controversy surrounding Assassin’s Creed Shadows without mentioning the game specifically. Assassin’s Creed Shadows has faced racist backlash online since the announcement, which confirmed that the game will feature real-life historical figure Yasuke, a samurai of African descent, as one of the two heroes.

Although the game received valid criticism for its pricing strategy and season passes prior to launch, several commentators and YouTubers accused the game of promoting a progressive “agenda” through the inclusion of a black protagonist. However, Guillemot did not address the hateful discussions surrounding the game and seemed to reassure the players.

“I want to reiterate that we are an entertainment company first, we make games for the widest possible audience, and our goal is not to push any particular agenda,” he said. “We’re still committed to creating games for fans and players that everyone can enjoy.”