Ubisoft Addresses Assassin's Creed Shadows Leak

Yesterday, February 24, we reported that Assassin’s Creed Shadows had leaked online, with numerous people streaming the game a month ahead of its official release date on March 20.

Over the weekend, as noted by the GamingLeaksandRumours subreddit, now-deleted social media posts revealed physical copies of the game being sold before the street date, and multiple streams of the unreleased game appeared on platforms like Twitch.

Ubisoft, the developer and publisher, has now addressed the leak, confirming on the Assassin's Creed subreddit that they were aware of the situation and urged players not to spoil the experience for others.

"We are aware that players have accessed Assassin’s Creed Shadows ahead of its official release. Our development team is still working on patches to ensure the best experience at launch, and any footage shared online does not reflect the final quality of the game.

"Leaks can unfortunately dampen the excitement for players," Ubisoft stated. "We kindly request that you refrain from spoiling the experience for others. We appreciate our community's efforts to protect everyone from spoilers.

"Stay in the shadows, avoid the spoilers, and keep an eye on our channel for more official surprises in the coming weeks! March 20 will be here before you know it!"

These leaks represent another challenge for Ubisoft and the Assassin's Creed franchise. The development team has previously had to apologize for using a historical recreation group's flag without permission, and for inaccuracies in Assassin's Creed Shadows' depictions of Japan.

Originally set for a November release, Assassin's Creed Shadows was first delayed to February 14, and then to the current release date of March 20. Given Ubisoft's recent struggles with sales and investor backlash, the company is counting on a strong performance from this title.