A major leak has rocked the gaming world as *Assassin’s Creed Shadows* reportedly surfaced online a full month before its official release. According to reports first spotted by the GamingLeaksandRumours subreddit, now-deleted social media posts contained images and gameplay footage allegedly from someone who purchased the game through an unauthorized online marketplace. Further evidence of the leak appeared in deleted listings on a U.S.-based auction site, where multiple copies were being sold for $100 each, as confirmed by TheGamer.

Since then, several Twitch streams showcasing *Assassin’s Creed Shadows* have emerged—though many are now being taken down, according to VGC. The game is officially set to launch on March 20, 2025. IGN has reached out to Ubisoft for comment.

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This latest incident adds to a growing list of challenges for Ubisoft surrounding *Assassin’s Creed Shadows*. Despite setbacks during development and promotion, Ubisoft recently stated that preorders for the title are performing well, “in line with those of *Assassin's Creed Odyssey*, the second most successful entry of the franchise,” according to the company’s latest financial report.

Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot expressed confidence in the game’s potential. “Early previews have been positive, praising its narrative and immersive experience, with both characters playing critical roles in the game’s storyline, as well as the quality and complementarity of the gameplay provided by the dual protagonist approach,” he explained.

He added, “I want to commend the incredible talent and dedication of the entire *Assassin’s Creed* team, who is working tirelessly to ensure that *Shadows* delivers on the promise of what is the franchise’s most ambitious entry yet.”

Originally scheduled for a November 2024 release, the game was pushed back to February 14, and later again to its current launch date of March 20. The delays reflect the scale of the project and the pressure riding on its success.

The stakes are high for *Assassin’s Creed Shadows*. Not only is it the long-awaited return to feudal Japan and the first full *Assassin’s Creed* title since 2020, but it also represents a crucial opportunity for a struggling Ubisoft to regain investor trust after a string of underperforming releases.

Unfortunately, the promotional journey so far has been rocky. The development team has issued public apologies for historical inaccuracies in the game’s portrayal of Japan, as well as for using a historical recreation group's flag without permission.

Adding to the controversies, collectible figure maker PureArts pulled an *Assassin’s Creed Shadows* statue from sale due to concerns over its "insensitive" design.