Ubisoft: Assassin's Creed Shadows Preorders Strong, Matching Odyssey

Ubisoft has expressed strong confidence in the pre-order numbers for their upcoming open-world adventure, Assassin's Creed Shadows, despite facing challenges during its development and promotional phases. In their latest financial report, the company stated that "preorders for the game are tracking solidly, in line with those of Assassin's Creed Odyssey, the second most successful entry in 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 have been positive, praising its narrative and immersive experience, with both characters playing critical roles in the game’s storyline, as well as the quality and complementarity of the gameplay provided by the dual protagonist approach," Guillemot stated. He also praised the dedication of the Assassin's Creed team, noting their tireless efforts to ensure that Shadows delivers on its promise as the franchise's most ambitious entry to date.

Assassin's Creed Shadows was initially set for a November release but was delayed to February 14, and subsequently pushed back again to March 20. As the long-awaited Japan-set entry and the first full Assassin's Creed game since 2020, a lot hinges on its success, especially as Ubisoft looks to rebound from recent flops and address investor concerns.

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