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[HeisenbergFX4]

https://insider-gaming.com/exclusive-context-around-the-assassins-creed-shadows-delay/

Last week, Ubisoft announced that Assassin’s Creed Shadows would be delayed from its intended November release date to February 2025. While the announcement was somewhat of a shock publically, internally, it was expected and desperately needed.

Ubisoft announced that the game was delayed “to polish and refine the experience. “ In its earnings update, the company further claimed that the delay was due to “the learning from the Star Wars Outlaws release.” Both claims are true, but beyond a few short words, internally, the developers have been pushing for a delay for the best part of a few months, which had fallen on deaf ears until the release of Outlaws.

Yves Guillemot pointed out in an internal memo that Star Wars Outlaws’ initial sales “proved softer than expected,” with Guillemot pointing out that critics rated the game 76 out of 100 on Metacritic (I think it’s important to note that the user score is far lower at a 5.4 out of 10, too). Although I wasn’t given the figure on what Ubisoft anticipated Outlaws to sell within its first month, the game has just surpassed 1 million units sold at the time of writing. Its performance has seemingly caused alarm bells to ring at HQ, which not only led to the approval of Assassin’s Creed Shadows being delayed to Q1 2025 but to finally putting games back on Steam (a request that every Ubisoft team has been pushing for years).

So why was Shadows delayed? It’s a complicated question without a single answer, but it boils down to a strict development timeline, polishing, and addressing the Japanese community’s cultural and historical accuracy concerns.

But first, let me address some of the wild rumors about Yasuke—he’s not going to be removed. However, sources have said that the team has been actively addressing many of the historical and cultural concerns, which started before the game’s reveal following external playtests and were accelerated further following the game’s initial reveal and mass feedback. This includes changing some of Yasuke’s story and how he’s portrayed in the game, fixing architectural details, and ensuring that the game is historically grounded while fitting into the Assassin’s Creed universe. Fundamentally, though, these are issues that should have been caught internally before the game’s reveal, especially given Ubisoft’s strict asset-approval process. As for how these issues fell through the cracks, I’m told that historical experts were brought onto the project much later than usual for a project of this magnitude and that miscommunication between teams and cutting corners when it came to the approval process of assets to meet deadlines were also at play.

As for the game’s polish and issues with bugs, it’s pretty self-explanatory. The game is currently not at the stage it needs to be for release, and I’m told that there have been some tweaks to some gameplay mechanics and elements that are going to take time to incorporate. While some of these issues were highlighted in recent playtests and mock reviews, these are end-of-development issues that will take a little longer.

Of course, these are not new issues for the team. Seven developers working on the project said that they have been pushing for a delay for some time, and their situation had even been heard at other studios in the company. Ultimately, though, the delay comes down to a strict development timeline and the need to address issues caused by the set timeline. As for why Ubisoft HQ continues to ignore the developers on almost every level, Ubisoft’s Executive Committee and Board of Directors will decide in their review – although 80% of 40 Ubisoft developers think this ends in no change or layoffs – but that’s another story on the internal issues for another time.

For now, though, Ubisoft Quebec will release Assassin’s Creed Shadows on February 14, 2025, and while the game isn’t matching Valhalla in pre-order numbers (which launched on Steam and past-generation consoles), the numbers are solid and are likely to rise further given its Steam release announcement.

 

[TVexperto]

Yves needs to be fired !!

 

[ap_puff]

"Fundamentally, though, these are issues that should have been caught internally before the game’s reveal, especially given Ubisoft’s strict asset-approval process. As for how these issues fell through the cracks, I’m told that historical experts were brought onto the project much later than usual for a project of this magnitude and that miscommunication between teams and cutting corners when it came to the approval process of assets to meet deadlines were also at play."

 

[Woopah]

"Fundamentally, though, these are issues that should have been caught internally before the game’s reveal, especially given Ubisoft’s strict asset-approval process. As for how these issues fell through the cracks, I’m told that historical experts were brought onto the project much later than usual for a project of this magnitude and that miscommunication between teams and cutting corners when it came to the approval process of assets to meet deadlines were also at play."

Seems like they have a strict prcocess. And then people didn't follow it.

 

[ap_puff]

Seems like they have a strict prcocess. And then people didn't follow it.

Those people being management, who set the process. So it seems like they didn't have a strict process at all.

 

[Woopah]

Those people being management, who set the process. So it seems like they didn't have a strict process at all.

I think if mamagement had been following the correct process, the phrase "cutting corners" wouldn't have been used. To me that phrase implies people not following the process they are supposed. to.

 

[Mibu no ookami]

Those people being management, who set the process. So it seems like they didn't have a strict process at all.

Tell me you've never been in management before.

At the end of the day, they desperately wanted to get this product out before the holidays and they were running out of time. That's when you start streamlining things that you think can streamline.

It's a massive decision to push this into 2025, especially releasing closer to Ghost of Yotei. We'll see if Sony does any marketing for Ghost before the release of Shadows.

 

[adamsapple]

But first, let me address some of the wild rumors about Yasuke—he’s not going to be removed.

Of course.

Why would anyone expect them to do that? Not that there wold be enough time between November and Feb to make fundamental changes to the game in the first place.

 

[EDMIX]

Ubisoft announced that the game was delayed “to polish and refine the experience. “ In its earnings update, the company further claimed that the delay was due to “the learning from the Star Wars Outlaws release.” Both claims are true

Oh no, they don't want to hear that lol

Its because of "petition" and the hurt feelings on social media, yup..thats da REAL reason!

 

[HL3.exe]

"Fundamentally, though, these are issues that should have been caught internally before the game’s reveal, especially given Ubisoft’s strict asset-approval process. As for how these issues fell through the cracks, I’m told that historical experts were brought onto the project much later than usual for a project of this magnitude and that miscommunication between teams and cutting corners when it came to the approval process of assets to meet deadlines were also at play."

Nah, makes sense.

An old friend of mine worked on AC Unity assets back in the day, and said it was his last time working for Ubi because of those asset coal-mines and the strict process.

 

[ProtoByte]

Yves needs to be fired !! But I guess he got too much dirt on the execs?

That's not... how did you get that from the article?

Everything I'm reading here just further cements my opinion that developers these days are extremely lax and inefficient.

Nah, makes sense.

An old friend of mine worked on AC Unity assets back in the day, and said it was his last time working for Ubi because of those asset coal-mines and the strict process.

We can now see why they were there in the first place.

You can't have no crunch and passive work culture and lax processes and expect games to come out on time and polished.

 

[ap_puff]

Nah, makes sense.

An old friend of mine worked on AC Unity assets back in the day, and said it was his last time working for Ubi because of those asset coal-mines and the strict process.

I don't understand the comparison to coal mines here. Is it the idea that you grind all day and have a bunch of shit rejected?

 

[Physiognomonics]

They noticed the tides are turning and are attempting to make it less woke in order to avoid a flop. Everything else is BS.

 

[Angry_Megalodon]

Oh no, they don't want to hear that lol

Its because of "petition" and the hurt feelings on social media, yup..thats da REAL reason!

Just keep reading. They are changing historical inaccuracies and even Yasuke's storyline. So yes, it is because of that, too.

Or mainly because of that. We know Ubisoft gives two shits about polishing and bugs. This would be a first time.

 

[Novaex]

Although I wasn’t given the figure on what Ubisoft anticipated Outlaws to sell within its first month, the game has just surpassed 1 million units sold at the time of writing.

That's way worse than I thought. For a game with such a famous IP released on multiple platforms and with according to Ubisoft their biggest markting campaign to date, these sale numbers are really bad.

 

[TVexperto]

Nah, makes sense.

An old friend of mine worked on AC Unity assets back in the day, and said it was his last time working for Ubi because of those asset coal-mines and the strict process.

Unity had the best map and assets though

 

[Alebrije]

Watch UBI's strict asset approval process at it's Glory

Good they moved Shadows hope they can improve it , they can't let the Game fail their future depends of it.

 

[Mr Moose]

Damn, they're removing the hip hop music.

 

[newtypepilot]

Fundamentally, though, these are issues that should have been caught internally before the game’s reveal, especially given Ubisoft’s strict asset-approval process. As for how these issues fell through the cracks, I’m told that historical experts were brought onto the project much later than usual for a project of this magnitude and that miscommunication between teams and cutting corners when it came to the approval process of assets to meet deadlines were also at play.

ahh yes the so called "experts" that had worked at SBI

 

[Go_Ly_Dow]

As for how these issues fell through the cracks, I’m told that historical experts were brought onto the project much later than usual for a project of this magnitude and that miscommunication between teams and cutting corners when it came to the approval process of assets to meet deadlines were also at play.

As an expert on Japanese culture they need to understand that honour and shame are huge parts of it. It's not like America where you can become successful by an asshole. If you screw someone over in Japan you bring shame to yourself and the only way to get rid of that shame is with reptenance.

 

[March Climber]

Just keep reading. They are changing historical inaccuracies and even Yasuke's storyline. So yes, it is because of that, too.

We would need to see what would be changed. Remember, they only have 3.5 months. Worst case scenario is a ton of cut content which leads to a disjointed narrative experience, i.e. MGSV.

This is partly why they should have released the Japan AC way sooner. Early 2010s arrogant Ubisoft would not have given a damn about every little minor inaccuracy upsetting someone. They would have simply released the game and then say nothing so that people would have to deal with it.

Today's Ubisoft is trying so hard to please absolutely everyone that it's making things worse for them overall.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Damn, they're removing the hip hop music.

Hip hop fighting music for a black samurai 500 years ago. lol.

I'm no historian, but tip for all the white, french, christian folks at UBI Quebec: Just because there's a black guy doesn't mean you have to bundle in rap music.

 

[mckmas8808]

They noticed the tides are turning and are attempting to make it less woke in order to avoid a flop. Everything else is BS.

You're WRONG!!!!

 

[Gaiff]

Yves needs to be fired !! But I guess he got too much dirt on the execs?

His family founded and owns the company.

 

[mckmas8808]

Hip hop fighting music for a black samurai 500 years ago. lol.

I'm no historian, but tip for all the white, french, christian folks at UBI Quebec: Just because there's a black guy doesn't mean you have to bundle in rap music.

 

[BennyBlanco]

Damn, they're removing the hip hop music.

It was a hilarious choice

 

[Astray]

We would need to see what would be changed. Remember, they only have 3.5 months. Worst case scenario is a ton of cut content which leads to a disjointed narrative experience, i.e. MGSV.

This is partly why they should have released the Japan AC way sooner. Early 2010s arrogant Ubisoft would not have given a damn about every little minor inaccuracy upsetting someone. They would have simply released the game and then say nothing so that people would have to deal with it.

Today's Ubisoft is trying so hard to please absolutely everyone that it's making things worse for them overall.

I was talking to one of my brothers yesterday (lapsed AC fan) and I think their main issue has been waiting for so long to deliver a Samurai-themed AC.

Ghost of Tsushima (and now Yotei) has thoroughly conquered that subgenre (Samurai Open-world) to the point where it has become the blueprint for it, so the ways Ubisoft can improve on that formula are very limited.

Their best shot was releasing before Yotei did to get the impatient crowd who want a taste of that kind of game even if it's similar or inferior (Saints Row built nearly it's entire success on this idea, but with GTA), but now with this delay they've fucked that massively.

 

[Angry_Megalodon]

We would need to see what would be changed. Remember, they only have 3.5 months. Worst case scenario is a ton of cut content which leads to a disjointed narrative experience, i.e. MGSV.

This is partly why they should have released the Japan AC way sooner. Early 2010s arrogant Ubisoft would not have given a damn about every little minor inaccuracy upsetting someone. They would have simply released the game and then say nothing so that people would have to deal with it.

Today's Ubisoft is trying so hard to please absolutely everyone that it's making things worse for them overall.

They have been arrogant enough, at least at the project management level. When shares lose 90% of value and the CEO steps in, arrogance goes out the window, and a few people should follow.

There are just too many things that need fixing. The gameplay and animations looked dated, they will have to crunch like Chinese maniacs to fix all of that and even so, the damage is already done. I'm not sure this delay will benefit them.

 

[Bojji]

Damn, they're removing the hip hop music.

So Yasuke didn't bring it to Japan from America?

 

[diffusionx]

Lol so much for this idea that setting this game in Japan and putting Yasuke in the game was about some incredible reverence for history Ubisoft has and the desire to tell this supremely interesting and grounded story.

Nope it was a political decision within the walls of Ubi and they just were winging it until they got called out for their bullshit. While they were lying that the game showed incredible reverence and great desire to tell this supremely interesting story, they were hiring historical consultants and changing things around behind the scenes.

 

[FingerBang]

We would need to see what would be changed. Remember, they only have 3.5 months. Worst case scenario is a ton of cut content which leads to a disjointed narrative experience, i.e. MGSV.

This is partly why they should have released the Japan AC way sooner. Early 2010s arrogant Ubisoft would not have given a damn about every little minor inaccuracy upsetting someone. They would have simply released the game and then say nothing so that people would have to deal with it.

Today's Ubisoft is trying so hard to please absolutely everyone that it's making things worse for them overall.

Pre 2020/BLM ubisoft would have not picked the only black dude in the country for an Assassin's Creed game, so the criticism about historical inaccuracies would have been much more tame.

And if they did, because nobody cared about race, the game wouldn't have been perceived by many as the black dude assaulting Asians simulator.

 

[Alebrije]

Hip hop fighting music for a black samurai 500 years ago. lol.

I'm no historian, but tip for all the white, french, christian folks at UBI Quebec: Just because there's a black guy doesn't mean you have to bundle in rap music.

It's well known rap and hip hop have oriental music origins , otherwise how You can explain this :

 

[Osaka_Boss]

Just keep reading. They are changing historical inaccuracies and even Yasuke's storyline. So yes, it is because of that, too.

Or mainly because of that. We know Ubisoft gives two shits about polishing and bugs. This would be a first time.

Dont even bother Bro. Some people would die to suck Yves balls If they could

 

[March Climber]

Just because there's a black guy doesn't mean you have to bundle in rap music.

Damn, they're removing the hip hop music.

Honestly I don't mind the idea of hip hop music with samurai, as it's been a fun mix in the past:



It's just that Ubisoft had no sense of good hip hop music to use, so they went with the generic 'safe hip-hop' you'd hear in countless bad trailers that sounds like royalty free junk. It doesn't take that much effort for a AAA company to go and search for better hip hop producers. Here are three recent examples of better music than what was shown in that latest AC Shadows gameplay video:

 

[Go_Ly_Dow]

the game has just surpassed 1 million units sold at the time of writing. Its performance has seemingly caused alarm bells to ring at HQ

If true then no wonder it's caused alarm bells. It probably doesn't even cover the Star Wars licencing fee....

 

[Kacho]

and while the game isn’t matching Valhalla in pre-order numbers (which launched on Steam and past-generation consoles

Valhalla didn’t launch on Steam, Tommy boy

 

[Boss Mog]

Watch UBI's strict asset probal process at it's Glory

Good they moved Shadows hope they can improve it , they can't let the Game fail their future depends of it.

Even if that blow connected, the only thing that would be hurting is her hand.

 

[Kacho]

I really do hope they remove the hip hop music. They really jumped the shark with that one.

 

[mckmas8808]

Honestly I don't mind the idea of hip hop music with samurai, as it's been a fun mix in the past:



It's just that Ubisoft had no sense of good hip hop music to use, so they went with the generic 'safe hip-hop' you'd hear in countless bad trailers that sounds like royalty free junk. It doesn't take that much effort for a AAA company to go and search for better hip hop producers. Here are three recent examples of better music than what was shown in that latest AC Shadows gameplay video:

The RZA co-produced the music to the Kill Bill movies, so you are 100% right about this. There's a great relationship between the two. And if anybody knew 1% of what Wu-Tang did through-out their run, they'd know the connection to martial arts is amazing.

But Ubisoft just doesn't get it.

 

[March Climber]

Pre 2020/BLM ubisoft would have not picked the only black dude in the country for an Assassin's Creed game

Incorrect, that's exactly a move that arrogant Ubisoft would have done. They had the backbone to do it before in other AC games and even Far Cry games.

Edit: And knowing them they would make Nobunaga the villain and give him an apple and a super samurai sword+armor, similar to that George Washington DLC.

And if they did, because nobody cared about race, the game wouldn't have been perceived by many as the black dude assaulting Asians simulator.

Yes, the same way they perceived Chris and Sheva as 'White man killing africans'. Again, Ubisoft didn't care back then. For example no one cared when Far Cry 3's Jason Brody killed an entire island of indonesians. Ubisoft was untouchable back then because they were arguably in the 'big 3' of non-1st party publishers.

 

[DeepEnigma]

Hip hop fighting music for a black samurai 500 years ago. lol.

I'm no historian, but tip for all the white, french, christian folks at UBI Quebec: Just because there's a black guy doesn't mean you have to bundle in rap music.

Idk about Christian.

 

[Esppiral]

Didn't read, I am convinced that the delay is cuz of the poor sales of swo, they want it to sell and a new ass creed wouldn't help.

 

[Angry_Megalodon]

Yes, the same way they perceived Chris and Sheva as 'White man killing africans'. Again, Ubisoft didn't care back then. For example no one cared when Far Cry 3's Jason Brody killed an entire island of indonesians. Ubisoft was untouchable back then because they were arguably in the 'big 3' of non-1st party publishers.

There's a difference between those sagas and Assassins Creed.

For example, RE4 depicts Spain as a place full of deranged cultists that the Anglo-Saxon savior kills merrily. The currency is wrong and the Spaniards have Mexican accents. It's hilariously bad. Nobody cared because Resident Evil is what it is, it doesn't have any pretense of accuracy.

However, an Assassin's Creed game with the same mistakes would be destroyed.

 

[Topher]

Sounds like it needs a longer delay to fix everything if they really want to fix it

 

[EDMIX]

They are changing historical inaccuracies and even Yasuke's storyline. So yes, it is because of that, too.

lol how? We don't even know his story line to pretend crying on social media was because of the change.

What was the storyline that would need to be corrected that was based on any shit you guys said? lol

So what ever they are changing seems to be based on things internally that they knew about that we didn't to pretend your "petition" is why they changed anything lol
Seems that change is based on something we are not aware of to really act as if its based on your tears or something. Its even more odd to fucking read this and understand something is changed in the story, ohhhhhh but shit, TOM is fucking LIYING about it being delayed to be polish, but he is right on the storyline change cause that is what you want to fucking talk about....

sure buddy lol

Thats some selective fucking reading lol


Shit, maybe you should have kept reading yourself

let me address some of the wild rumors about Yasuke—he’s not going to be removed

the game was delayed “to polish and refine the experience. “ In its earnings update, the company further claimed that the delay was due to “the learning from the Star Wars Outlaws release.” Both claims are true,

^

I know this isn't want you hoped for bud.

You wanted the reason to be petitions and you cried really hard on social media etc.

 

[ap_puff]

Sounds like it needs a longer delay to fix everything if they really want to fix it

Yeah at this point the damage is done

 

[BaneIsPain]

A little too late for damage control lololol

 

[Deerock71]

This might be Ubisoft's nail in the coffin before it even launches.

 

[night13x]

Long gone are the days where ubi can release shit and people will buy it just based on the IP name. People have voted with their wallet and it is now showing.

DEI = DIE

Also them sort of pissing all over Japanese culture and historic events ....who the hell thought that was a great idea? Then they tried to deny it lol. Woops.

I am pretty sure this game isn't going to earn what it needs to earn at this point even with the delay. The damange is done. The word of mouth is out. People have seen the scam miles away.

The only hope going forward for ubi is that they "truely" and I mean truely learn their lesson in what makes a great game and fall back to the times when you leave politics and other dumb shit and just focus on making a great game players want.

Or they can continue to make dumb decisions and I think we all know where ubi will end up.

 

[demigod]

Valhalla didn’t launch on Steam, Tommy boy

That's games journalism for you. Tom should stick with PS leaks only.