The ever-controversial "Assassin's Creed: Shadow" has once again announced a pushback in its release date. Initially slated to drop on November 15, 2024, the game has sparked major backlash over accusations of cultural appropriation, historical inaccuracies, and issues with DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) awareness, leading to a rescheduled release on February 14, 2025.
However, in Ubisoft’s latest statement today, it appears the game will face another delay of a month, with the new release date set for March 20, 2025.
Set to hit the shelves originally on Valentine's Day 2025, the latest installment, "Assassin's Creed: Shadow Walker," was buzzing to be a hot drop. But hold your horses—its release now plays bumper cars with SEGA's "Yakuza 8 Spinoff: Pirates in Hawaii," dropping a mere six days later on February 20, and Capcom’s "Monster Hunter Wilds," set for a February 28 release. This close-knit scheduling led many gamers to speculate that the pushback of AC might be more about dodging a clash in this crowded release window, not just about Ubisoft's claim of wanting to “enhance the gaming experience.”
Last week, the UK's gaming watchdog, People Make Games, dropped a bombshell about "Assassin's Creed: Shadow Walker". The game's arts and animation were outsourced to Indonesia's Brandoville Studios (now rebranded as LaiLai Studios). However, this studio is now infamous for overworking its staff and subjecting them to both mental and physical abuse. Named employees have blown the whistle on these conditions, sparking a massive outcry in Indonesian society. Despite the uproar, studio heads Cherry Lai and her husband remain uncharged legally.
According to reports, the operators of the studio, including two managers, appear to be from Hong Kong and have reportedly traveled there following the incident's exposure. Despite Ubisoft having previously stated their complete unawareness of the matter and expressing deep unease about the studio's conduct, the online backlash against Ubisoft continues unabated.
Over the past six months, the stark reality for Ubisoft is nothing short of a shock – a plunging stock price by a whopping 48%. The trouble brewed further when news broke of a disturbing "sweatshop" scandal, causing shares to nosedive another 10% almost overnight. The current slump in stock prices has both investors and the board biting their nails, fueling rampant online speculation that Chinese tech giant Tencent might swoop in for a full takeover of Ubisoft. Yet, as the rumor mill churns, a concrete outcome remains elusive.
"Assassin's Creed: Shadowmasters" is about to drop under such a complex backdrop, with the freshest drop date tagged for March 20, 2025. Gotta wonder, will gamers decide to snap up this title?
