Ubisoft maintains that Assassin's Creed Shadows, its highly anticipated open-world adventure, continues to attract robust preorder numbers despite developmental challenges and marketing setbacks.

The publisher stated in its recent earnings call that "preorders are performing steadily, comparable to Assassin's Creed Odyssey — the franchise's second-highest grossing installment."

CEO Yves Guillemot reaffirmed this optimism, emphasizing the team's complete focus on Shadows' March 20 launch. "Initial impressions highlight the game's compelling narrative and immersive dual-protagonist system, with both characters delivering distinct yet complementary gameplay experiences," he noted.

"The development team deserves recognition for their commitment to creating what might be the most ambitious Assassin's Creed title to date," Guillemot added.

The game's journey to release has seen multiple delays — first postponed from November to Valentine's Day, then pushed further to its current March date, leaving fans awaiting tomorrow's original launch date disappointed.

Shadows carries significant weight not only as the franchise's first Japan-set entry and the first mainline installment since 2020, but also as Ubisoft's hope for redemption following recent commercial disappointments and investor concerns.

Marketing efforts have faced turbulence, including apologies for historical inaccuracies in depicting feudal Japan and unauthorized use of a cultural group's emblem. Additional controversy arose when collectible manufacturer PureArts withdrew a statue design deemed culturally insensitive.

With these challenges compounding the two delays, player anticipation increasingly mingles with frustration as the final release approaches.