Assassin's Creed Shadows Pre-Orders Are Reportedly Off to a Strong Start (2024)

Pre-orders for the upcoming open-world samurai game, Assassin's Creed Shadows, are allegedly very strong so far, according to some recent claims made by a reputable insider. Despite being months away from release, the reports that Assassin's Creed Shadows is already selling so well goes to show the enduring popularity of the AC franchise, and why Ubisoft continues to invest heavily in the series.

Initially announced in September 2022 under the temporary title Assassin's Creed: Codename Red, Assassin's Creed Shadows was formally revealed earlier this week with a flashy CGI trailer and a handful of developer interviews. The game, which takes place in 16th century Japan, places players in the shoes of two brand-new protagonists, Naoe and Yasuke. The former is a female ninja who's skilled at stealth attacks, while the latter is a black samurai that primarily employs offensive tactics. Although Ubisoft has yet to unveil any gameplay for the title, what the company has shared so far about the upcoming game has been met with fairly positive reactions by many fans and outlets. Judging by a new report, it seems like the hype surrounding Shadows is already making itself evident in sales figures.

In a recent post on Twitter, Tom Henderson of Insider Gaming claims that pre-orders for Assassin's Creed Shadows are "looking very strong." Though he states that he doesn't "have the exact numbers yet," none of the sources at Ubisoft he spoke to were "disappointed with them." Given Henderson's near-spotless track record when it comes to reporting on Ubisoft-related leaks, like when he prematurely revealed that a second Prince of Persia game would release in 2024, it's safe to assume that this statement of his is accurate. Indeed, with the success of titles like Ghost of Tsushima, these strong pre-order numbers seem to indicate that there is high demand for an Assassin's Creed game set in Japan, after all.

As exciting as the reveal of the game may have been, Assassin's Creed Shadows' announcement was not free of controversy. When the pricing for the premium editions of the game was unveiled, many lambasted Ubisoft for what they considered egregious monetization. The rumors suggesting that AC Shadows will allegedly have battle passes didn't help, either. Meanwhile, the reveal trailer for Shadows was hit with a wave of dislikes on YouTube over discontent regarding Ubisoft's decision to feature a black samurai over a Japanese one, despite the fact that Yasuke is a historical figure.

The Controversies Surrounding Assassin's Creed Shadows Seemingly Aren't Harming Its Sales

Regardless of the debates some may be having over certain aspects of Assassin's Creed Shadows, it's evident that none of them appear to be negatively impacting the commercial success of the game. Luckily, those who pre-ordered the title won't have to wait too long to play it as Shadows is set to release on November 15, 2024. In the meantime, Ubisoft fans will have more major games to look forward to later this year, with Assassin's Creed Shadows being only one of them.

See Also

Assassin’s Creed Shadows: Here’s What Comes in Each Edition - IGN

Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Previously known as Codename Red, Assassin's Creed Shadows is an upcoming game in Ubisoft's open-world franchise. Set in Feudal Japan, Shadows includes two playable characters, a ninja assassin specializing in stealth and a samurai who focuses on power.

Franchise

Assassin's Creed

Platform(s)

PS5 , PC , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S , Amazon Luna

Released

November 15, 2024

Developer(s)

Ubisoft Quebec

Publisher(s)

Ubisoft

Genre(s)

Open-World , Action-Adventure , RPG