Ubisoft has announced a second delay for the release of the highly anticipated game Assassin’s Creed Shadows. The new release date is set for March 20, 2025. According to the publisher, this decision aims to incorporate player feedback and ensure a higher quality launch.

Initially, Assassin’s Creed Shadows was scheduled for release in November 2024, but the launch was later postponed to February 14, 2025. The latest delay pushes the game’s release back by another five weeks.

Ubisoft stated that the additional time will help improve the product’s quality. Executive producer of the franchise Marc-Alexis Cote said the delay will allow "help create the best conditions for launch by continuing to engage closely with the increasingly positive Assassin’s Creed community."

This decision comes amid a challenging period for Ubisoft, accompanied by declining sales and internal restructuring of the company. In December, Ubisoft ceased support for the online shooter XDefiant and closed three studios in expensive regions. Such cost-cutting measures are part of the company’s strategy to stabilize after a difficult financial year in 2024, when Ubisoft experienced record losses.

Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot acknowledged the challenges in a recent statement to shareholders. He emphasized the importance of creating quality games, noting that delaying the release will allow the development team to take player suggestions into account and provide an enhanced gaming experience at launch.

The repeated delays in the release of Assassin’s Creed Shadows are linked to negative player reactions to bugs and issues in recent games, including Star Wars Outlaws. Ubisoft acknowledged that the game’s sales were lower than expected. The company now focuses on ensuring more stable first-day releases to restore player trust.

While the primary reason for the last delay is to improve the game and consider player feedback, some analysts speculate that it may also be a strategic move to avoid competition with other major releases in February, including Kingdom Come: Deliverance II (February 4), Civilization VII (February 11), and Monster Hunter Wilds (February 28).

The Assassin’s Creed franchise remains an essential part of Ubisoft’s portfolio. Shadows is set to be the most ambitious entry in the series since Valhalla, released in 2020. Ubisoft hopes the game’s release will help strengthen the brand and improve the company’s financial performance.

Amid reports of a potential sale of Ubisoft, including discussions of a deal with Chinese giant Tencent, Guillemot assured shareholders that the company is "actively exploring various strategic and capitalistic options to unlock the full value potential of our assets".

Players shared their thoughts on the game’s delay on Reddit. Surprisingly, users mostly understood the issue: they recognize Ubisoft’s complex situation and, despite general company criticism, support its decision.

"I'm not even mad. I know Ubi isn't doing well financially, this could be the last AC game we ever get, we have no idea. I'd rather them take their time to deliver us an AC that's better than Valhalla and Odyssey combined.", — wrote one user on the discussion page.

“I’m totally satisfied with this decision. Honestly, common sense suggested that the game wouldn’t be released in a few weeks without a proper marketing campaign. At least we’ll get a more polished product!”, — believes adienpierce143.

The game events will unfold in 16th-century Japan, and Ubisoft plans for this project to refresh the popular franchise, which has experienced both successes and failures in recent years. Additionally, the game will play an important role in Ubisoft’s new strategy of releasing annual Assassin’s Creed projects through the new Assassin’s Creed Infinity platform.

Given the growing interest of fans in the Assassin’s Creed Shadows game, set in medieval Japan, a successful launch could be crucial in shaping Ubisoft's future or another nail in the company’s coffin.