The curse of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, hailed as both the most controversial game and an anticipated flop, has struck again, with reports of an early leak ahead of its March 20 release. Allegedly, PS5 physical copies are already circulating in the wild.
Ubisoft, once a powerhouse in game development but now struggling to stay relevant, appears to be losing control over what has become one of the industry’s most controversial games. Set to release on March 20, 2025, a date that coincides uncomfortably with the anniversary of Tokyo’s subway sarin attack, Assassin’s Creed Shadows continues to highlight Ubisoft’s questionable decision-making.
Instead of creating anticipation, this early leak comes off as a desperate attempt for attention from a company struggling with its own mistakes. It’s especially ironic considering Ubisoft openly told consumers to “get comfortable” to the idea of not really owning the games they pay for, while also shutting down the always-online game The Crew and even removing digital copies from players’ libraries on UPlay/Ubisoft Connect.
The leaks first surfaced in a thread on NeoGAF, where user Draugoth claims to have spotted a post from someone who snagged a copy of Shadows a month early via an online secondhand retailer. Another unofficial review, a mix of corroboration and fresh tidbits paints a picture of a game still half-baked, with NPCs’ mouths reportedly flapping silently in cutscenes like a bad mime act.
Meanwhile, multiple listings have reportedly surfaced online, with scalpers asking as much as $100 for these early copies. The source of the leak likely stems from physical copies arriving in stores well ahead of the official release, where someone in the supply chain, often an employee, either sells them prematurely or takes them unlawfully.
Video footage and various reports suggest that Ubisoft’s control over its flagship title is as unstable as its relationship with consumers and its declining stock value.
The company’s response?
A playful yet somewhat dismissive request for players to “stay in the shadows” and refrain from spoiling the experience. This was accompanied by vague assurances of patches to improve the game before launch, with the development team still actively working on updates despite release being less than a month away.
What new information do these leaks reveal? Apparently, the game’s dual protagonists, Yasuke, the very reason as to why this game will fail and Naoe, split up early in the story.
According to a NeoGAF player, the game starts with Yasuke before transitioning to Naoe, with no option to switch back after nine hours. The central plot revolves around the murder of Oda Nobunaga, depicted as an exaggerated, mustache-twirling villain—a decision sure to fuel ongoing criticism of Ubisoft’s historical revisionism.
It was already known that players could engage in same-sex relationships as both Naoe and Yasuke, further reinforcing Ubisoft’s commitment to ESG initiatives by centering their game around the “world’s first” Black and gay samurai.
This historical revisionism largely revolves around Yasuke, a figure who occupies only a minor footnote in Japan’s history. Believed to have been a servant under Oda Nobunaga who fled following his assassination, Yasuke’s role remains entirely speculative.
However, Ubisoft has chosen to center its game around him, a Black man in feudal Japan, while simultaneously checking the diversity and inclusion boxes by rewriting history to present him as a full-fledged samurai, despite there being zero historical evidence to support such a claim.
Beyond that, the leaks reveal a sprawling open-world map and a somewhat flexible character-swapping mechanic. However, details on combat and stealth are lacking. Given Ubisoft’s track record, most recently with the buggy and unfinished release of Star Wars Outlaws it raises concerns about whether the mechanics, particularly stealth, will function properly.
Despite development having continued for months after multiple delays, it seems Ubisoft’s modern-day creative leads are still struggling to get core gameplay elements to work.
The leaker enthusiastically compares Assassin’s Creed Shadows to Assassin’s Creed Revelations and Ghost of Tsushima. High praise, except one is over a decade old, and the other is a widely acclaimed modern classic, celebrated for its culturally authentic and immersive depiction of Japan.
In contrast, Assassin’s Creed Shadows has drawn increased criticism for historical inaccuracies and ideological distortions.
While defenders argue that “players control which buttons they press,” the reality is clear: the developers dictate what is included in their game. Ghost of Tsushima, out of respect, forces players to holster their weapons at shrines and temples, whereas Assassin’s Creed Shadows allows for their desecration.
Yet, these concerns are largely ignored by Western journalists and left-leaning critics. This was meant to be the long-awaited Japanese entry in the Assassin’s Creed series, a concept fans have anticipated for over a decade.
Instead, it has been shaped by a focus on diversity quotas and modern ideological narratives, developed by feminists discriminating against Japan’s culture, history, and traditions.
This latest controversy unfolds amid Ubisoft’s ongoing struggles. The company recently shut down its Leamington studio, laying off 185 employees in what appears to be a desperate cost-cutting move. While that studio wasn’t involved with Shadows, its closure is yet another sign of Ubisoft’s financial instability, as the company’s stock continues to decline and investors push for privatization as a potential escape route, but all signs point to an inevitable buyout from the Chinese.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows was supposed to be Ubisoft’s grand return to form, a blockbuster title capable of stabilizing their crumbling empire. Instead, it has become a focal point for backlash: over 80,000 signatures on a cancellation petition, Japanese media condemning its cultural desecration, and an indie developer even launching Yasuke Simulator on the same day as a pointed jab.
Even The New York Times couldn’t redeem its tarnished image with a fluff piece article featuring input from a Sweet Baby Inc. consultant who had previously worked on Ubisoft projects, dismissing game criticism as coming from foreigners posing as Japanese, only stoking the flames further.
In an era where games like The Last of Us Part II had their entire scripts leaked and Grand Theft Auto 6 saw early developmental footage surface, Ubisoft finds itself in full damage-control mode. Streams are being taken down, listings are disappearing, and the company is scrambling to patch a sinking ship.
Unlike the GTA 6 and TLOU2 leaks, which spread like wildfire across social media, Assassin’s Creed Shadows is failing to generate organic hype. Outside of gaming journalists and a so-called “modern audience” that rarely translates to actual sales, there’s little excitement surrounding the leaks.
Instead, these leaks only add to the highlight of Ubisoft’s ongoing failures, ranging from historical revisionism aimed at pushing a pro-Black narrative to misleading claims about cultural consultancy, linguistic errors in special editions, the inclusion of sacrilegious figures, and even allegations of plagiarizing Japanese historical artifacts in concept art.
The list of controversies keeps growing, with no signs of slowing down.
From the inclusion of anachronistic watermelons, introduced to Japan only after the Sengoku period to their baffling depiction as a spring harvest, Assassin’s Creed Shadows feels less like a faithful historical setting and more like a warped, internet-fueled parody of what Westerners think Japan looks like.
Ubisoft’s marketing only reinforces this disconnect, with a collector’s edition featuring Yasuke and Naoe-themed boba tea flavors, Strawberry Matcha and Cherry Blossom Fruit, despite boba tea being a relatively modern Taiwanese creation with no connection to feudal Japan.
To Ubisoft, and corporations like it, all Asian cultures are interchangeable, even as they proudly declare that “Diversity is part of their DNA.” Yet everything about this game’s development has felt anything but respectful, instead, it’s been dismissive, misleading, and outright discriminatory toward Japan and its rich cultural history.
In stark contrast, Ghost of Tsushima was so well received that its developers were honored by Tsushima Island itself for their historical accuracy and cultural appreciation as official ambassadors of tourism.
Meanwhile, Assassin’s Creed Shadows is on track to be remembered as one of the most offensive and controversial games ever released, a fitting legacy for a company seemingly on its last legs, grasping onto a franchise riddled with controversy.
March 20 can’t come soon enough, if only to witness whether Shadows serves as Ubisoft’s swan song or its final death rattle. Given their track record, the latter seems far more likely.
