Ubisoft has been in a rut in recent years. The studio spent 10 years and hundreds of millions on Skull & Bones only for the game to launch to mixed reviews and less than one million players. Star Wars Outlaws received backlash for its buggy gameplay and ultimately failed to meet sales expectations. Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, the return to the fan-favorite series, had positive reviews but only sold around 1.3 million copies, which wasn’t enough to dig Ubisoft out of its financial hole.

It’s clear that Ubisoft is struggling, and it seems like there’s only one game that can save them: Assassin’s Creed Shadows. After countless delays, Shadows is finally set to release on March 20, 2025. The Assassin’s Creed series helped put Ubisoft on the map, and now it might be the studio’s last hope.

Assassin’s Creed Fans Are Becoming Frustrated With the Series

Ubisoft Needs to Remind Fans Why They Fell In Love With the Assassin’s Creed Franchise

When Assassin’s Creed: Shadows was first announced, fans were ecstatic to see that Ubisoft was finally listening to their pleas and delivering the Assassin’s Creed they had always wanted. Now that its release is on the horizon, Ubisoft is looking to the latest entry in its biggest franchise to help pull it out of the grave it has already dug for itself. Many fans are tired of the stale Ubisoft formula that spreads across its entire catalog, but the developers are hoping that Assassin’s Creed: Shadows can prove they still have what it takes to make a standout game.

Ubisoft has become known for repetitive gameplay and aggressive microtransactions, and the studio is finally starting to face the repercussions of its actions. Many of Ubisoft’s games have had middling sales, and its titles are frequent targets of review bombs on Steam. Fans are losing faith in Ubisoft, and the studio needs to release a game that can win them back.

While Ubisoft’s problems extend far beyond the Assassin’s Creed franchise, Shadows may be the only thing that can save the struggling studio. Set in feudal Japan, Shadows is the fourteenth installment in the Assassin’s Creed series and focuses on the centuries-old conflict between the Assassin’s Brotherhood and the Templars. The story follows Yasuke, a former slave turned samurai, and Naoe, a kunoichi trained to become a member of the Japanese Brotherhood of Assassins. The two characters feature different playstyles, and players can choose which one to play as, except during character-specific events.

I am especially proud of the Shadows team for staying true to their creative vision and the core tenets of Assassin’s Creed.

Ubisoft received some criticism for making Yasuke, a real historical figure, one of Assassin Creed Shadows‘ protagonists. However, the studio has rightfully ignored the fake outrage and stood by its creative decisions. At a BAFTA event, Assassin’s Creed executive producer Marc-Alexis Côté acknowledged the controversy, saying “I am especially proud of the Shadows team for staying true to their creative vision and the core tenets of Assassin’s Creed.”

Assassin’s Creed Shadows Could Save Ubisoft, But It’ll Be Competing With Another Samurai Game

Ghost of Yōtei Could Put Assassin’s Creed Shadows to Shame

Image via Sucker Punch Productions

When Ghost of Tsushima first released, fans immediately compared it to the Assassin’s Creed franchise. Both franchises are narrative-driven, open-world action RPGs with a focus on stealth. By the time Ghost of Tsushima came out, many fans had grown bored with the Assassin’s Creed formula. The Sucker Punch game proved that historical action RPGs could still be interesting and fun. Ghost of Tsushima played like an Assassin’s Creed game in Japan, but without the microtransactions many fans hated.

In 2024, Sucker Punch announced Ghost of Yōtei, a follow-up to Ghost of Tsushima that is set to release this year. While Ghost of Yōtei doesn’t have a release date yet, it could still cause major problems for Ubisoft. With rising prices and the time commitment required for these games, fans may only want to play one samurai title this year. Now that Assassin’s Creed has real competition, players might choose to avoid Shadows altogether.

Assassin’s Creed has been Ubisoft’s flagship franchise for nearly two decades, and now the developer’s fate depends on the success of its newest entry. Shadows previews haven’t been overly negative, but they haven’t been blowing people away either, and the title may not be the win that Ubisoft desperately needs.

When Ubisoft initially delayed Shadows, the studio claimed that it wanted to incorporate “learnings” from Star Wars Outlaws and polish the game. In January, Ubisoft announced it was delaying the game a second time so that it could incorporate player feedback. While Ubisoft has said that preorders for Shadows are solid, it may not be enough. Assassin’s Creed: Shadows could mean life or death for Ubisoft, and the studio needs to make sure they release the best game possible.