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Fact check: Assassin's Creed Shadows is unlikely to be a commercial success.

Checked on January 2, 2025

1. Summary of the results

1. Summary of the results

The claim that Assassin's Creed Shadows is unlikely to be successful is premature and lacks sufficient evidence. While Ubisoft faces financial challenges (share price drop of 13%, reduced sales forecast from 2.42B to 1.95B euros), the company has taken specific steps to ensure the game's success, including postponing the release to February 2025, abandoning the unpopular Season Pass model, and offering free expansion packs to pre-order customers.

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original statement omits several crucial factors:

  • The game features highly requested elements like a feudal Japan setting and dual protagonists (Yasuke and Naoe)
  • Ubisoft has made specific business decisions to improve chances of success, including simultaneous Steam release
  • Early gameplay previews have received positive feedback, particularly regarding the combat system and hit feedback mechanics
  • The delay to February 2025 was specifically implemented to allow for quality improvements, showing company commitment to the product

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The statement presents a one-sided view that:

  • Assumes Ubisoft's current financial challenges automatically translate to the game's failure
  • Ignores the company's corrective measures and strategic changes
  • Fails to acknowledge that different stakeholders have varying interests in the game's perception:

Competitors benefit from negative perception of Ubisoft titles

Investors may benefit from short-term stock price fluctuations based on negative sentiment

  • Gaming media benefits from controversial headlines about major releases

The reality is more complex than a simple success/failure prediction, with multiple factors that could influence the game's commercial performance.

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