Yesterday, February 24, we reported that Assassin’s Creed Shadows had leaked online, with numerous individuals streaming the game a full month before its official release on March 20.
Over the weekend, as noted by the GamingLeaksandRumours subreddit, now-deleted social media posts revealed physical copies of the game being sold before the designated street date. Additionally, multiple streams of the unreleased title surfaced on platforms like Twitch.
Ubisoft, the game's developer and publisher, has since addressed the leak. On the Assassin's Creed subreddit, the company confirmed awareness of the issue and urged players to refrain from spoiling the experience for others.
"We are aware that players have accessed Assassin’s Creed Shadows ahead of its official release. Our development team is still working on patches to ensure the best possible experience at launch, and any footage shared online does not reflect the final quality of the game.
"Leaks are unfortunate and can reduce the excitement for players," Ubisoft stated. "We kindly request that you do not spoil the experience for others. We appreciate our community's efforts in helping to protect everyone from spoilers.
"Stay in the shadows, steer clear of spoilers, and keep watching our channel for more official surprises in the coming weeks! March 20 will be here soon!"
The leaks represent another challenge for Ubisoft and its flagship Assassin's Creed franchise. The development team has previously had to apologize for using a historical recreation group's flag without permission and for inaccuracies in Assassin's Creed Shadows' portrayal of Japan.
Originally set to launch in November, Assassin's Creed Shadows was postponed first to February 14, and then to its current release date of March 20. Amid struggling sales of recent releases and an investor backlash, Ubisoft is counting on a strong performance from this title.
