Yasuke black samurai in Assassin's Creed Shadows

Ubisoft’s troubled launch of Assassin’s Creed Shadows just took an even stranger turn. Players who’ve completed the game are discovering that the credits sequence runs an unprecedented two hours long—a detail that seems almost surreal in light of the company’s current financial struggles.

 

To put this into perspective, The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, famous for having one of the longest credits sequences in movie history, wraps up in under 10 minutes. Ubisoft’s latest release manages to extend its credits to more than 12 times that length, offering what feels like a never-ending scroll of names, studios, departments, and corporate entities. For a AAA video game like this, it’s common for credit rolls to run anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes for larger titles. But this takes the cake.

Reports suggest that over 3,000 people worked on Assassin’s Creed Shadows, with Ubisoft enlisting the efforts of teams from around the globe. In addition, a noteworthy portion of the credits is devoted to “Global Diversity and Inclusion” personnel, a move likely intended to highlight Ubisoft’s corporate initiatives but one that’s now fueling criticism over the publisher’s priorities.
Assassin's Creed Shadows DEI Credits

Diversity and Inclusion section in the Assassin’s Creed Shadows credits – X, @MadamSavvy

Normally, an exhaustive credits list might be brushed off as a quirky footnote—but in Ubisoft’s case, it paints a more concerning picture.

As we’ve covered extensively, Ubisoft is facing its worst financial crisis in recent history. The company is currently carrying €1.4 billion in net debt and €2.51 billion in total debt. On top of that, Ubisoft’s workforce has ballooned to over 18,000 employees, costing the company nearly €750 million annually to maintain.

These figures have shareholders on edge, with calls for leadership changes growing louder and speculation mounting over whether Ubisoft will have to sell off key assets—or even face bankruptcy—to stay afloat.

Disappointing Launch Numbers Add Fuel to the Fire

What’s perhaps most shocking is that despite the thousands of hands involved in making Assassin’s Creed Shadows, the game has failed to deliver the performance Ubisoft desperately needed. On Steam, it debuted as the 36th most played game, peaking at only 41,412 concurrent players. For a marquee AAA title from one of gaming’s former powerhouses, these numbers are far below expectations.

Adding insult to injury, mainstream gaming outlets have largely given the game favorable reviews, with an 81 score on Metacritic. But closer inspection reveals glaring inconsistencies. VG247, for example, awarded the game a perfect 100, yet openly admitted in their review that “there are problems with Assassin’s Creed Shadows, for sure.”

 

User scores, meanwhile, have yet to populate in full—but given early community feedback pointing out dated graphics, awkward facial animations, and questionable design choices, it’s safe to assume they won’t align with the glowing press.

Is the Assassin’s Creed Shadows Credits Roll a Symptom of Ubisoft’s Deeper Problems?

For many, the two-hour long credits aren’t just an oddity—they’re symbolic of Ubisoft’s bloated, inefficient approach to game development. Rather than focusing on delivering a polished, fan-focused product, Ubisoft appears more concerned with expanding its corporate structure, tacking on layers of departments and initiatives that ultimately do little to improve the final experience.
Yasuke Assassin's Creed

A screenshot from Assassin’s Creed Shadows (2024), Ubisoft

Given Ubisoft’s precarious financial position—crippled by billions in debt, falling stock prices, and a string of underwhelming releases—one has to wonder how much longer the company can sustain this kind of overextension.

At a time when Ubisoft desperately needed Assassin’s Creed Shadows to be a financial lifeline, what they’ve delivered instead is a game marred by controversy, poor player engagement, and a credit roll that may stand as a monument to the publisher’s mismanagement.

What do you think the Assassin’s Creed Shadows credits say about Ubisoft’s production? Sound off in the comments and let us know!