Assassin’s Creed Shadows has been hit with another delay, yet the first DLC has already been leaked. Mar. 20, 2025, is the new release date for Assassin’s Creed Shadows, the upcoming game in the Assassin’s Creed series that continues to be shrouded in controversy.

Ubisoft claims the delay is due to developers wanting more time to implement player feedback, but the gaming community is skeptical it has to do more with the recent accusations of abuse in its studio located in Indonesia. This is just the latest controversy to hit the studio regarding Assassin’s Creed Shadows, which has also been accused of being “woke” and stealing anime artwork. Despite another delay, Ubisoft themselves has accidentally leaked the first DLC coming to the game — and it actually sounds pretty cool. Well, if you’re even able to play it.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows Leak Reveals 10-Hour DLC

And Gamers Are Confused

As initially reported by Insider Gaming, Ubisoft updated Assassin’s Creed Shadows Steam page after the delay announcement. The update included information about the game’s first downloadable content, Claws of Awaji. This would be a 10-hour expansion set in a new region, allowing gamers to unlock new weapons, skills, gear and abilities. Awaji is an island popular in Shinto mythology, opening up some interesting content for players.

The phrasing of the deleted information left some confused, however. It appeared to claim that only those who pre-purchase Assassin’s Creed Shadows would have access to the DLC. This would be a peculiar choice for a large expansion, but it could be part of a new model Ubisoft is trying due to consistent backlash against its aggressive microtransactions. After gamers crapped on Star Wars Outlaws for its considerable amount of paid content, the game tanked and Ubisoft had to change course.

It has now been announced that Assassin’s Creed Shadows won’t have any content locked behind a paywall on launch day. This could mean Claws of Awaji is free, but the Steam information was deleted — perhaps Ubisoft still has to work on the wording.

This DLC could potentially mean Ubisoft has turned a new leaf, which is much needed after all of the ongoing controversy surrounding the game. Gamers first expressed frustration with the “unrealistic” depiction of ancient Japan, largely due to the main characters being a black man and a woman.

Ubisoft responded that the game was “historical fiction,” which has been the case for all the previous Assassin’s Creed titles. But the criticism kept rolling in, with players accusing the game’s artists of stealing a sword design from One Piece and even a historical re-enactment group’s flag, which Ubisoft refused to remove from its already-made art book.