„We Only Have One Shot.” Assassin's Creed: Shadows Devs Will Do Their Best to Change How People View Ubisoft
The head of the Assassin's Creed brand knows that AC: Shadows will only have one chance to make a good first impression, and sees an opportunity here to break with the „inconsistent quality” narrative of Ubisoft's games.
Assassin's Creed: Shadows is meant to be a chance to reverse the narrative regarding the "inconsistent quality" of Ubisoft's games. This is the opinion of Marc-Alexis Coté, who is responsible for the AC brand, who spoke about the reasons for the delay of this game during the BAFTA gala in London (via Eurogamer).
Opportunity for Ubisoft, not just AC
As a reminder, the new "Assassin" was supposed to hit the market this month, but Ubisoft decided to postpone the game's release until next year. Officially, this was justified by the need for refinishing and a change in the publisher's plans (the title was supposed to be complete in terms of content), although leaks mentioned that the developers had long been demanding additional time for development.
Coté emphasized that players can afford to be "selective," meaning they can choose the best games and demand "perfection" from them. Buyers expect "more refinement, innovation, and commitment" and have no qualms about letting devs know when they fail to meet their trust.
Meanwhile, Ubisoft has been known in recent years for the "inconsistent quality" of its games. That's why, as Coté says, AC: Shadows "represents our opportunity to change that narrative, not just for Assassin's Creed, but I think for Ubisoft as a whole."
Being among the best isn't enough
It's worth reminding that the release of Shadows is supposed to be a kind of new opening for the series. This is when Infinity is supposed to debut, along with the game (or shortly after) - a sort of Animus for the brand that will give players access to the next chapters of the AC story. Ubisoft should therefore focus on making the Japanese-inspired installment of the series as good as possible. Not to mention the current, bleak situation of the company, which doesn't encourage another premature premiere.
Perhaps that is why Coté emphasized that AC: Shadows has the potential to be the best installment in the series, but in his opinion, these days being "among the best isn't enough." The dev recalled another groundbreaking "Assassin" in concept: Unity.
Currently, the title has gained the appreciation of fans, but it's not easy to notice that for a simple reason: issues during the premiere. These cast a long shadow on the perception of this part of Assassin’s Creed by players, but also by Ubisoft employees.
[Unity] was meant to be a major milestone for the series, but its reception at launch, marred by technical issues, left a deep impact on all parts of the company, from production to publishing, especially given Ubisoft's roots as a French company. This low point affected all of us, but it also served as a wake up call, reminding us how crucial it was to maintain the quality and integrity of the player experience from day one, a lesson that lives with us to this very day.
That's why Coté convinced the board to delay the release of AS: Shadows – so that the Unity situation wouldn't repeat itself and Ubisoft wouldn't disappoint players. Even if he doesn't agree with some fans of the series on everything. He knows that Ubisoft "only has one chance to release this game, and it has to exceed expectations."
Assassin's Creed: Shadows will be released on February 14, 2025.
