Assassin's Creed Shadows Leaked One Month Early

Assassin’s Creed Shadows has appeared online ahead of schedule, with streams of the game emerging nearly a month before its official launch.

As reported by the GamingLeaksandRumours subreddit, now-deleted social media posts showed images and footage from an individual who claimed to have purchased the game through an online marketplace. According to TheGamer, listings for the game also briefly surfaced on a U.S. auction site, where one seller reportedly offered multiple copies for $100 each.

Multiple Twitch streams featuring Assassin’s Creed Shadows have since appeared, though they are being taken down, as noted by VGC. The official launch is scheduled for March 20, 2025. IGN has reached out to Ubisoft for comment.

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This situation is another challenge for Ubisoft, which has faced a series of setbacks with Assassin’s Creed Shadows since its announcement. Earlier this month, the company stated that preorder numbers for the game remained strong despite its troubled development and promotional cycle.

In its latest financial report, the publisher described preorders as "solid, tracking similarly to Assassin's Creed Odyssey, the second most successful title in the franchise."

Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot expressed confidence in the project, stating, "Early previews have praised the game's narrative depth, immersive world, and the distinct roles of both protagonists, as well as the quality and synergy of their gameplay styles."

"I extend my thanks to the entire Assassin’s Creed team for their talent and dedication in delivering what is poised to be the most ambitious entry in the series to date," he added.

Originally planned for a November release, Assassin's Creed Shadows was first delayed to February 14, then pushed again to its current scheduled date of March 20.

Considerable expectations rest on Assassin's Creed Shadows—not only as the long-awaited installment set in Japan and the first full series release since 2020, but also as a critical title for Ubisoft, which is looking for a hit after recent underperformances and investor concerns.

However, the game's promotion has been rocky. The development team had to issue apologies on separate occasions for inaccuracies in its portrayal of Japanese history and for using a historical recreation group’s flag without permission.

Another controversy arose when collectible manufacturer PureArts pulled an Assassin’s Creed Shadows statue from sale due to its "insensitive" design.