Ubisoft Responds to Assassin's Creed Shadows Leak

On February 24th, reports surfaced of an early online leak of Assassin's Creed Shadows, with numerous individuals streaming gameplay a month before its official March 20th launch. The GamingLeaksandRumours subreddit subsequently highlighted now-deleted social media posts showcasing pre-release physical copies and unauthorized streams on platforms like Twitch.

Ubisoft, the developer and publisher, acknowledged the leak on the Assassin's Creed subreddit, urging players to refrain from spoiling the game for others. They clarified that the leaked footage doesn't reflect the final game quality, as the team is still implementing patches. Ubisoft expressed disappointment, emphasizing the negative impact of leaks on player anticipation and thanked the community for efforts in minimizing spoilers. They concluded by requesting players to avoid spoilers and promised further official announcements in the coming weeks, leading up to the March 20th release.

This leak adds to Ubisoft's recent challenges with the Assassin's Creed franchise. The team previously apologized for unauthorized use of a historical recreation group's flag and for historical inaccuracies in the game's depiction of Japan. The game's release date has also been delayed multiple times, initially slated for November, then February 14th, and finally settling on March 20th. Given Ubisoft's recent struggles with underwhelming sales and investor criticism, the success of Assassin's Creed Shadows is crucial for the company.