Ubisoft has shared an interesting update regarding Assassin’s Creed Shadows.
As shared by PC Gamer, the game was highlighted in the company’s latest financial report. The full quote from Ubisoft’s report is as follows:
“Assassin’s Creed Shadows: Scheduled to launch on March 20. Positive previews that highlight the immersive world, stunning graphics and variety of gameplay brought by the dual-protagonist approach.
Pre-orders are tracking solidly, in line with those of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, the second most successful entry of the franchise.”
Yves Guillemot, who is still Ubisoft’s CEO at the time of this writing, also shared this statement:
“We are fully focused on the upcoming launch of Assassin’s Creed Shadows on March 20. Early previews have been positive, praising its narrative and immersive experience, with both characters playing critical roles in the game’s storyline, as well as the quality and complementarity of the gameplay provided by the dual protagonist approach.
I want to commend the incredible talent and dedication of the entire Assassin’s Creed’s team, who is working tirelessly to ensure that Shadows delivers on the promise of what is the franchise’s most ambitious entry yet.”
In this regard, Assassin’s Creed Shadows is the only bright spot in this report. Ubisoft also discussed their current efforts at cost reduction, and the ‘strategic review’ Ubisoft is holding which will determine the future of the company.
But it’s also noteworthy that Assassin’s Creed Shadows may have overcome its initial string of controversies. After the dust had settled on the spread of misinformation, it became clear that Japanese gamers were critical about the historical inaccuracies they found in the trailers and promotional materials.
After stumbling on their initial response, it took Assassin’s Creed veteran developer Mark-Alexis Côté to clear the air and get fans focused on their efforts to get the game right. Since then, we have seen Ubisoft focus their communications on gameplay. Subsequently, word started spreading that the game was actually getting positive buzz in early previews.
This goes without saying, of course, but Ubisoft really needs Assassin’s Creed Shadows. It won’t be enough for it to be fairly successful, but it has to be a huge hit, maybe the biggest this year, to help get Ubisoft back on track.
And this may not necessarily secure the Guillemot family’s future in the company. But if Ubisoft finds the success that they need, they could help ensure that they themselves have a future, with thousands of jobs saved, and some of the industry’s biggest franchises to continue moving forward for the fans.
