On February 24, we reported that Assassin’s Creed Shadows had leaked online, with numerous individuals streaming the game a full month before its scheduled release on March 20. Over the weekend, as noted by the GamingLeaksandRumours subreddit, now-deleted social media posts revealed that physical copies of the game were being sold ahead of the official street date, and several streams of the unreleased title surfaced on platforms like Twitch.
In response to these leaks, Ubisoft, the developer and publisher of the game, issued a statement on the Assassin's Creed subreddit. They confirmed their awareness of the premature access to Assassin’s Creed Shadows and emphasized that the development team is still working on patches to ensure the game's quality at launch. Ubisoft stated, "The development team is still working on patches to prepare the experience for launch, and any footage shared online does not represent the final quality of the game."
Ubisoft expressed their disappointment over the leaks, noting, "Leaks are unfortunate and can diminish the excitement for players." They urged the community to refrain from spoiling the experience for others and thanked fans for their efforts in minimizing spoilers. The company encouraged everyone to "Stay in the shadows, avoid the spoilers, and keep an eye on our channel for more official surprises in the coming weeks! March 20 will be here soon!"
These leaks add to the challenges faced by Ubisoft and its flagship Assassin's Creed series. The development team has previously had to apologize for using a historical recreation group's flag without permission and for inaccuracies in Assassin's Creed Shadows' depictions of Japan. The game's release was initially set for November but was postponed to February 14, and subsequently to the current release date of March 20. Amidst struggling sales of other recent releases and an investor backlash, Ubisoft is counting on Assassin’s Creed Shadows to perform well.
