On February 24th, news broke of an online leak of Assassin's Creed Shadows, with numerous individuals streaming gameplay a month before its official March 20th release. The GamingLeaksandRumours subreddit highlighted now-deleted social media posts showcasing pre-release physical copies and unauthorized Twitch streams.
Ubisoft acknowledged the leak on the Assassin's Creed subreddit, urging players to refrain from spoiling the game for others. The developer stated that ongoing patch work means currently available footage doesn't reflect the final product's quality. They expressed concern that leaks diminish player excitement and thanked the community for their efforts in preventing spoilers. Ubisoft concluded their statement with a plea to avoid spoilers and a reminder of the upcoming March 20th release.
This leak adds to Ubisoft's recent challenges. 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 been pushed back multiple times – initially slated for November, then February 14th, and finally settling on March 20th. Given recent underperforming titles and investor concerns, Ubisoft needs Assassin's Creed Shadows to be a success.