Yes. In late February 2025, players were reported to have obtained physical copies of Assassin’s Creed Shadows and to be sharing gameplay weeks before its scheduled March 20 release. Ubisoft confirmed that some players had accessed the game early, but said its launch patches were still in development and circulating footage did not show the final quality.
What happened
Reports published February 24 and 25, 2025, said physical copies of Assassin’s Creed Shadows had reached players ahead of launch. Gameplay clips, images, and streams began appearing online. PC Gamer reported that copies were offered through Facebook Marketplace and Mercari, but those listings do not establish how the copies first got out or how widely they circulated.
Ubisoft’s community team acknowledged early access in a message to the official Assassin’s Creed Discord, reproduced by GamesRadar+: “We are aware players have accessed Assassin’s Creed Shadows ahead of its official release. The development team is still working on patches to prepare the experience for launch and any footage shared online does not represent the final quality of the game. Leaks are unfortunate and can diminish the excitement for players. We kindly ask you not to spoil the experience for others. Thank you to our community for already taking steps to protect everyone from spoilers.”
When was Assassin’s Creed Shadows supposed to come out?
Ubisoft announced on January 9, 2025, that the game would launch on March 20, 2025. Marc-Alexis Coté signed the announcement on behalf of the teams working on the game. Ubisoft said it needed additional weeks to act on community feedback and polish the launch experience, writing: “We believe a few additional weeks are needed to implement that feedback and ensure an even more ambitious and engaging day-one experience.”
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- Explore the captivating open world of feudal Japan, from spectacular castle towns and bustling ports to peaceful shrines and war-ravaged landscapes. Adventure through unpredictable weather, changing seasons, and reactive environments.
- Become Naoe, a shinobi Assassin, and Yasuke, a legendary samurai, as you experience their riveting stories and master their complementary playstyles.
- Make information your weapon as you explore the world, and build your own network of spies to be your eyes and ears across locations to hunt down your next target. Along the way, recruit new allies with unique abilities to help accomplish your missions.
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The early-copy reports followed that delay by several weeks, not a change to the announced launch date.
What is known—and what is not—about the early copies
- Established: Ubisoft acknowledged that players had accessed the game before its official release, and contemporaneous reports described physical copies and gameplay appearing online.
- Not established: The reporting does not identify who supplied the copies, how many circulated, or a complete chain of distribution.
- Not supported: The reviewed reporting does not show that a platform bug caused the leak.
Ubisoft’s warning matters when judging clips: the team said patches were still being prepared for launch and that shared footage did not represent the game’s final quality. Early gameplay should not be treated as a definitive picture of the released version.
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- ENTER FEUDAL JAPAN - Explore the captivating open world of feudal Japan, from spectacular castle towns and bustling ports to peaceful shrines and war-ravaged landscapes. Adventure through unpredictable weather, changing seasons, and reactive environments.
- MASTER COMPLEMENTARY PLAYSTYLES - Become Naoe, a shinobi Assassin, and Yasuke, a legendary samurai, as you experience their riveting stories and master their complementary playstyles. As Naoe, use stealth to avoid detection and agility to confound your enemies. As Yasuke, strike your foes with lethal precision and power. Unlock new skills, gear, and progression independently for each character.
- MAKE INFORMATION YOUR WEAPON - Travel the world and build your own network of spies to be your eyes and ears across locations to hunt down your next target. Along the way, recruit new allies with unique abilities to help accomplish your missions
- BUILD A PLACE TO CALL HOME - Create a fully customizable hideout for your growing shinobi league as you train your crew, craft new gear, interact with key characters, and choose your base’s buildings layout, decorations, and accessories.
How to avoid spoilers
If you want to experience the story without advance reveals, avoid unsanctioned streams, clips, and posts about the game, and be cautious with feeds where recommendations may surface leaked material. Ubisoft specifically asked the community not to spoil the experience for other players.
See Assassin’s Creed Shadows on Ubisoft’s official site for current release and platform information; a current listing does not mean a copy provides pre-release access.
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![Assassin's Creed Shadows [PlayStation 5]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51cgBmgsqGL._SL160_.jpg)
- Experience an epic, historical action adventure in feudal Japan and become a deadly Shinobi assassin and a powerful legendary samurai as you explore a beautiful open game world in chaotic times
- Sneak as a Naoe to not be discovered, use your agility to confuse your opponents and stretch down your opponents with deadly precision and power as a Yasuke
- Use information as weapons and build your own spy network to have eyes and ears everywhere and find your targets easier and recruit new allies on the go with unique skills to help you with your missions
- Create a fully customizable hideaway for your growing Shinobi league, where you train recruits, craft new equipment and interact with important characters; set the room layout, decoration and accessories yourself
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