Assassin’s Creed Shadows Boss Reveals Why the Game Was Delayed

Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ delay was recently addressed by the franchise’s Vice President Executive Producer, Marc-Alexis Côté. Côté addressed the franchise’s “inconsistency in quality” over the years and talked about “changing that narrative,” not just for the franchise but for the entirety of Ubisoft. 

During the Bafta event yesterday, Marc-Alexis Côté was able to answer several questions regarding Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ delay through an interview with Eurogamer. Côté started by acknowledging that “Ubisoft’s portfolio has faced criticism in recent years for a perceived inconsistency in quality.” He speaks about how the community wishes for “more polish, more innovation and deeper engagement” from the games they release, which is helping them “to be better”. 

Côté explains that by delaying Assassin’s Creed Shadows, they have the opportunity to “change that narrative, not just for Assassin’s Creed” but for the whole of Ubisoft. Côté expands, stating that the upcoming game “has the potential to be one of the best in the franchise’s storied history”; however,  he knows that “being amongst the best is just not enough anymore.”

This is why Côté decided to delay the game. The playtests and feedback “made it clear” that the game has immense potential, but it needs more time to meet the players’ expectations. 

Assassin’s Creed Shadows is the “most ambitious and complex project” for the franchise, featuring “interconnected mechanics, narrative and technology” while being released across a larger number of platforms. With the delay, the developers can “polish every aspect and set a new standard for the franchise”. The decision will reflect their “commitment to delivering an experience worthy” of their players’ time and attention on day one.

In other news, Ubisoft said Star Wars Outlaws’ performance contributed to Assassin’s Creed Shadows delay. Also, a co-op mode for the title is being developed. What are your thoughts on the delay in Assassin’s Creed Shadows? Let us know in the comments or our new community forum!

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