Summary
- Assassin’s Creed Shadows seems to have been acquired early, with reports of physical and digital copies being obtained before the scheduled launch date.
- The game features a Canon Mode, but speculation exists regarding the authenticity of the early releases.
- Some doubt the legitimacy of these claims, while others believe it’s entirely possible copies were acquired early through unintentional means.
Multiple copies of Assassin’s Creed Shadows appear to have been inadvertently released early despite the game’s launch not being scheduled for nearly another month. There are multiple reports of players getting Assassin’s Creed Shadows‘ physical and digital copies early and some legitimate-looking evidence to back up the claims.
The 14th mainline installment in Ubisoft’s action-adventure-turned-action-RPG franchise, Assassin’s Creed Shadows was originally supposed to have launched back in the middle of November 2024, but it was pushed back to ensure cultural and historical accuracy to a new date of February 14, 2025. A little over a month before the amended launch day was to occur, Assassin’s Creed Shadows was delayed again, this time set for release on March 20, 2025.
Related
Assassin’s Creed Shadows Canon Mode Comes With a Catch
The upcoming Assassin’s Creed Shadows features a Canon Mode, but the feature comes with a big catch to keep in mind.
With its official launch date still nearly four weeks away, photo and video evidence suggests that some people have received the game early, either through PlayStation Network errors or by receiving a physical copy through unknown means. Both versions of the game seem to be functional, as early players have reportedly shared their thoughts on gameplay and have posted gameplay videos including Assassin’s Creed Shadows‘ stealth-based protagonist Naoe fighting a group of armed men and the game’s opening loading animations and menu screen. There is also an image album that shares additional details reportedly captured from the menu screens, including a description of Naoe’s weapon Death Whisperer, and sliders for visual options like brightness and contrast.
Some Players May Have Gotten Assassin’s Creed Shadows Nearly a Month Early
Some fans of the series are doubtful that the early releases are legitimate, claiming that the photos and videos have been manufactured as a hoax. Along with the unsubstantiated nature of claims about the return of Animus Anomalies, these fans believe that some clever manipulation of resources could have been used to recreate Naoe’s imagery from previously released footage from Ubisoft. Over on Steam, a bizarre Assassin’s Creed Shadows parody game called Yasuke Simulator has been listed with the same launch date using much more crude artwork.
However, others are more accepting that the games could have been acquired early. Some believe physical copies of the game could have been inadvertently sold or taken illegally by store employees, similar to claims of McDonald’s Pokemon Happy Meal toys reportedly being sold online by restaurant employees last month. As for the alleged PSN leaks, the recent 24-hour outage from earlier this month has shown that the system is not without its faults, though there is no official confirmation that Assassin’s Creed Shadows has been released early through either source.
- Released
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March 20, 2025
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language