Rishika Shahi
Recent reports have unveiled significant development troubles for Assassin’s Creed Shadows, the upcoming installment in Ubisoft’s popular franchise. Initially set for release on November 15, 2024, the game has been delayed by three months as developers at Ubisoft Quebec raised concerns about various aspects of the project. These include not only technical issues but also cultural and historical accuracy, particularly regarding the portrayal of its characters and setting in feudal Japan. As anticipation builds for this title, the challenges faced during its development raise questions about its future success.
Delayed Release: A Response to Developer Concerns
A well-known industry insider has revealed that the makers of Assassin’s Creed Shadows attempted to delay the game for months until Ubisoft eventually gave up. The same insider also offered some further information about the ongoing issues with Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ development.
Several LinkedIn profiles belonging to Ubisoft Quebec employees indicate that the game has been in development since late 2018. Furthermore, in late September 2024, the firm revealed a three-month delay for Assassin’s Creed Shadows, despite having committed to a November 15 release date. Ubisoft expressed a desire to spend additional time on improving the game as the main reason for the postponement.
The further clarification for the delay
The facts underlying this turn of events have now been further clarified by a fresh story from Insider Gaming’s Tom Henderson, which states that Ubisoft Quebec devs have been attempting to delay Assassin’s Creed Shadows for the past few months. However, Star Wars Outlaws was slammed for a number of technical difficulties and underperformed sales compared to predictions before their demands were approved.
According to the article, which cites unidentified sources with knowledge of the situation, Ubisoft Quebec plans to use the extra three months allotted for production to address some “cultural and historical accuracy concerns” that the Japanese community brought up regarding the game, in addition to working out bugs.
Alteration of narratives in the game
Henderson asserts that the creators intend to alter certain aspects of Yasuke’s narrative and the way he is portrayed in the game as part of these efforts. The studio’s recently extended goal also includes rewriting some architectural aspects and examining how Assassin’s Creed Shadows portrays its historical setting overall, according to the same source. Given the ambitious nature of the project, Ubisoft apparently brought in historical experts and consultants later than normal for Assassin’s Creed Shadows, despite the fact that some of these items would often be finished far earlier during development.
Henderson asserts that the delay is intended to provide Ubisoft Quebec additional time to make changes to some of the game’s systems, in addition to resolving concerns about historical authenticity. The insider’s most recent report on pre-release commercial success saw him restate his earlier assertion that Assassin’s Creed Shadows pre-order sales are “solid.” Still, they haven’t quite reached Valhalla’s level, perhaps since the 2020 release was a cross-gen title and thus accessible to a far wider (console) audience.
In addition to postponing the next major release in its flagship series, Ubisoft recently revealed that an internal investigation into their difficulties is underway. According to the company, the goal of the inquiry is to find ways to enhance its processes for developing video games.
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