Assassin's Creed Shadows' and Ghost of Yotei both releasing in 2025 may be bad news for the latest Assassin's Creed game. Ubisoft is one of the biggest video game publishers out there, and it has managed to earn that reputation thanks to the absurdly successful Assassin's Creed games. For years, fans could rely on a new AC game every year and then Ubisoft started taking a couple of years between games to focus on quality. Now, the series is expected to return after a four-year gap between major entries (2023's Mirage was a smaller scale title).

For over a decade, fans have been asking Ubisoft to take Assassin's Creed to Japan. The idea of playing a ninja or samurai was compelling for a series that jumps through history to explore different cultures. In 2022, it was confirmed that Ubisoft would finally give fans what they've been asking for, but ironically, it may be a bit too late.

AC Shadows' 2025 Delay Puts It Up Against Ghost of Yotei

AC Shadows' New Release Date Is February 14, 2025

Ubisoft was planning to release Assassin's Creed Shadows in November 2024 and had planned to have a presence at Tokyo Game Show, but abruptly pulled out just days before the event. It was announced that Assassin's Creed Shadows would get a last-minute delay to February 14, 2025 to allow more time to polish the game and make it the best game it can be. Ubisoft noted in a financial report that part of the reason for the delay was due to the response to Star Wars Outlaws, a game that got mixed reviews due to bugs and underwhelming gameplay.

While that is a totally reasonable and respectable thing for Ubisoft to do, the publisher had the misfortune of making this announcement less than 24 hours after Ghost of Yotei was announced. Of course, this delay was almost certainly planned before this news was made public and would've been impossible for Ubisoft to factor in. The Ghost of Yotei surprised State of Play viewers and really shocked fans when it was confirmed to be released in 2025. Naturally, it's fair to assume this surprised Ubisoft too, but likely not in a fun way.

Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot told investors following the delay that he isn't necessarily worried about Ghost of Yotei as he believes there's enough space for both games to do well. Instead, he notes that Ubisoft's focus is on ensuring that Assassin's Creed Shadows hits the mark as a solid experience for fans.

Ghost of Yotei Puts Lots of Pressure On Assassin's Creed

Ghost of Yotei Could Put AC Shadows To Shame

Unfortunately for Ubisoft, Ghost of Yotei is Sucker Punch's second attempt at making a samurai game and the studio's first attempt was beloved. Ghost of Tsushima and its DLC were massive hits and was praised up and down for its satisfying, violent combat that embraces both direct action and stealth combat. On top of that, it had an expansive open world with plenty of checklist-type side activities that kept players engaged long after they finished the story.

In short, Sucker Punch made a superb Ubisoft-style game with Ghost of Tsushima, possibly inadvertently showing Ubisoft it could do an Assassin's Creed game better than the creators. This means Assassin's Creed Shadows can't phone it in when it comes to creating an action game set in feudal Japan. The bar has been set and Ubisoft has to at least match it.

Unfortunately, Ghost of Yotei will have the opportunity to learn from Ghost of Tsushima, improve upon it, and probably even take some smaller lessons from Assassin's Creed Shadows. This matters because Ubisoft can't afford to be outdone in a significant way right now. The studio is experiencing a tumultuous time as investors are looking to take over the company and make sweeping changes.

Ubisoft is hoping to fend off its board of directors and win big with Assassin's Creed Shadows and while it will likely sell well, if it can't stand toe to toe with Ghost of Yotei, the board may be displeased. They need to see value and that value will be lost if another studio is doing what Ubisoft does, but better. It would be bad optics if Ghost of Yotei got recognized with awards later in the year, but Assassin's Creed Shadows was totally absent.

AC Shadows Has Some Advantages Over Ghost of Yotei

Assassin's Creed Shadows Can Still Find Success

Assassin's Creed Shadows has some advantages starting with the fact that it releases at the start of 2025. Ghost of Yotei has no release date, but it will likely release in the second half of the year. If it copies Ghost of Tsushima's release window, that will put it in the summer and allow PlayStation to push Death Stranding 2: On the Beach as its big fall release next year.

By releasing first and likely almost half a year before Ghost of Yotei, it ensures Assassin's Creed Shadows has time to sell plenty of copies so long as the game isn't burdened with a disappointing launch. On top of that, Ubisoft will be releasing Assassin's Creed Shadows on Xbox and PC, two platforms Ghost of Yotei will not be on in 2025. Xbox seems to have landed some kind of marketing deal with Shadows as well, which will also give Xbox a way to compete directly with PlayStation in some way.

Sucker Punch made a superb Ubisoft-style game with Ghost of Tsushima, possibly inadvertently showing Ubisoft it could do an Assassin's Creed game better than the creators.

Those craving a game like Ghost of Yotei on these platforms will likely turn to Shadows to get their samurai fix. Hopefully, there's not a huge disparity and fans won't feel like they're getting the Great Value version of Ghost of Yotei. Ubisoft has also confirmed that Shadows will get some expansions. While gamers will likely have moved on from Assassin's Creed by the time Ghost of Yotei releases, a strategic play can be made here.

Ubisoft could release the first Assassin's Creed Shadows shortly after or even just before Ghost of Yotei to try and retain some relevancy. It would keep the game in players' minds and, if Ubisoft's efforts are strong enough, could make for a compelling case for why it is the stronger game. As of right now, it's too soon to say how exactly this will all shake out, but this is a big and important moment for Ubisoft. Assassin's Creed Shadows can't be overshadowed by Ghost of Yotei, or it could be devastating for the publisher.

Source: PlayStation/YouTube