After the upcoming Assassin's Creed Shadows was delayed to February 2025, franchise head Marc-Alexis Coté spoke about the state of the series and Ubisoft's desire to change negative perceptions around its games. Ubisoft is facing criticism and financial difficulties following the poor reactions to the recent Star Wars Outlaws and the controversy surrounding the historical portrayal in Assassin's Creed Shadows.
Although one of the largest publishers in the AAA gaming industry, Ubisoft has faced fan dissatisfaction and financial losses in recent years due to games plagued by technical issues, repetitive content, and microtransactions. Star Wars Outlaws was a financial disappointment with numerous criticisms regarding bugs and content locked behind paywalls, further damaging the company's image.
At a recent BAFTA event, Coté emphasized the need for Ubisoft to change the perception of its key franchises. According to him, players today have higher expectations, and Shadows is a perfect opportunity to prove that Ubisoft can meet those standards. The game's delay, Coté says, will allow the team to raise the quality to the expected level, especially after the negative financial trends and feedback received following Star Wars Outlaws.
He also recalled the infamous launch of Assassin's Creed Unity in 2014, which was marked by numerous bugs and technical problems. That experience left lasting effects on Ubisoft's development approach and influenced today's strategies. Assassin's Creed Shadows has the opportunity to become a turning point for the series, but it remains to be seen whether the delay will be enough for the game to meet fan expectations.
Despite all the challenges, Ubisoft does not plan to slow down its pace, and recent rumors suggest that the publisher plans to launch a new Assassin's Creed title every six months over the next decade.
