Assassin’s Creed Shadows Delay Necessary to Change Ubisoft’s “Narrative” of “Inconsistency in Quality”

Murderer’s Creed boss Marc-Alexis Coté has discussed the new damage option to extend the Murderer’s Creed Shadows base until February 2025, just one generation before its originally planned abandonment.

The Shadows adventure will pass through Murderer’s Creed’s traditional pre-Christmas sales window and comes amid heightened scrutiny of publisher Ubisoft’s current fortunes, as well as a culture war that has erupted over Shadows’ main characters. .

Speaking at a BAFTA tournament attended by Eurogamer in London late last night, Coté reflected on the reasons for the extension and the more important use of the game for Ubisoft at such a crucial time for the company and the Murderer’s Creed logo.

“Players can afford to be selective, choosing only the best, and they rightly demand excellence,” Coté said. “Ubisoft’s portfolio has faced complaints in recent times over a perceived inconsistency in ownership.

“Players expect more polish, more innovation, and deeper engagement from the games we drop, and they’re not shy about letting us know when they feel we’ve dropped less. This order pushes us to do better and be higher.

“Assassin’s Creed Shadows represents our opportunity to change that narrative, not just for Assassin’s Creed, but for Ubisoft as a whole.”

“In today’s market, being among the best is no longer enough.”

Shadows ushers in a bold push intact for the Murderer’s Creed flagship, and then comes a long wait until the biggest full-blown blockbuster, 2020’s Viking-powered Valhalla. (2023’s Mirage was intentionally a smaller game , which began as an expansion for Valhalla).

Ubisoft is preparing Shadows to be the basis for an intact week of Murderer’s Creed, supported by a central launcher/game hub, a more available continuous narrative, and technological advances made possible by, in any case, getting rid of the maximum console presence. .

At the same time, Ubisoft’s 2024 alternative blockbuster, Megastar Wars Outlaws, underperformed commercially, and the company once again discovers the subject of speculation about its current corporate freedom. The stakes have never seemed high.

“We know that this game has the potential to be one of the best in the history of the franchise, set in one of the most anticipated settings that we have yet to explore,” mentioned Coté. “But we also know that in today’s market, being between The best is no longer enough.”

Coté reflected on the infamous 2014 founding of the Murderer’s Creed Team ethos, a technical leap ultimately too ambitious for the eager form during the French Revolution. Before its founding, Ubisoft boasted that the game, the first installment for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles, could be where “the next generation began.” In the end, Team Spirit’s graphical issues and complicated online techniques ruined first impressions, and the logo suffered a major collision.

“We only have one chance to launch this game and it has to exceed expectations.”

“[Unity] It was intended to be a major milestone for the series, but its reception at launch, marred by technical issues, left a profound impact on all parts of the company, from production to publishing, especially given Ubisoft’s roots. as a French company,” Coté mentioned. “This low point affected us all, but it also served as a wake-up call, reminding us how crucial it was to maintain the quality and integrity of the player experience from day one, a lesson that lives with us to this day. “.

So over the years, the threat of team spirit foundation still haunts the logo, as it feels, and both Coté and Ubisoft bosses are keen to ensure this is never repeated.

“After much thought and analysis, I recommended to our senior management to delay the release of Assassin’s Creed Shadows,” Coté said. “Our playtesting and feedback from the team made Cloudless Shadows have great potential, but I felt we needed more presence to ensure it fully meets our players’ expectations.

“We only have one chance to release this game, and it has to exceed our expectations. Shadows is our most ambitious and sophisticated project, but with interconnected mechanics, narrative and technology, all released on the largest collection of platforms with the most options. that we have ever supported.

“Taking this extra time allows us to polish every aspect and set a new standard for the franchise, one that I hope will carry us forward for years to come. This decision reflects our commitment to delivering an experience worthy of our players’ time and attention every year. days. one. We believe Shadows will shine as a true showcase of Ubisoft’s talent and dedication, setting a new benchmark in quality for the franchise.”

On closing night, Eurogamer reported on Coté’s long and passionate defense of the narrative choices and characters of Murderer’s Creed Shadows, the response to which has involved a stream of online backlash and abuse directed this time at the game’s developers.