Assassin's Creed Shadows has had a bit of a rough time of late, with Ubisoft initially pulling out of the Tokyo Game Show entirely and delaying the launch of Shadows to February 2025, attributing its absence at the show to the buggy, incomplete nature of the 2025 entry into the Assassin's franchise. In the announcement confirming the launch delay and the Tokyo Game Show Absence, Ubisoft also communicated that it would be shaking up the Assassin's Creed launch and monetization strategy significantly. Apparently as part of that monetization switch-up, Ubisoft has also changed the price of the Assassin's Creed Shadows Collector's Edition, cutting it by a whopping $50.
Ubisoft confirmed the price change on Discord in an official Q&A, announcing that, due to dropping the three-day early access that Collector's Edition buyers would originally have received, the Collector's Edition would now cost $229.99 instead of the previous price of $279.99. Meanwhile, the Collector's Edition will still include all the other paraphernalia and real-world loot that it originally bundled. The aforementioned delay and changes to the monetization strategy not only saw the cancellation of the Season Pass model previously used by Ubisoft, but it also meant that all Assassin's Creed Shadows players would also get the game's first expansion for free along with the base game.
Shortly after the first announcement confirming the monetization changes and the delay, Ubisoft started refunding pre-orders for Shadows, which is still causing confusion among the members of the Assassin's Creed Discord, despite the announcement.
The full Q&A post reads as follows:
Although the changes to Assassin's Creed Shadows are supposedly to blame on the incomplete state of the game, there is speculation that the announcement of Ghost of Yōtei also posed a threat to AC Shadows because of its similar setting, aesthetic and supposed superior authenticity. How either game actually turns out, though, remains to be seen, but it certainly seems like Ubisoft is feeling the pressure of the increasing game quality coming from up-and-coming indie and smaller game studios.
View at TechPowerUp Main Site | Source
Ubisoft confirmed the price change on Discord in an official Q&A, announcing that, due to dropping the three-day early access that Collector's Edition buyers would originally have received, the Collector's Edition would now cost $229.99 instead of the previous price of $279.99. Meanwhile, the Collector's Edition will still include all the other paraphernalia and real-world loot that it originally bundled. The aforementioned delay and changes to the monetization strategy not only saw the cancellation of the Season Pass model previously used by Ubisoft, but it also meant that all Assassin's Creed Shadows players would also get the game's first expansion for free along with the base game.
Shortly after the first announcement confirming the monetization changes and the delay, Ubisoft started refunding pre-orders for Shadows, which is still causing confusion among the members of the Assassin's Creed Discord, despite the announcement.
The full Q&A post reads as follows:
Hi! We wanted to provide an update on the Collector's Edition for Assassin's Creed Shadows through the following Q&A.
Q: Is the ACSH Collector's Edition still planned for release?
A: Yes, the ACSH Collector's Edition will be available on the official release date, February 14, 2025.
Q: Will I still get the 3 days of early access as advertised?
A: No, there is no early access for AC Shadows anymore. The ACSH Collector's Edition will now be released on February 14, 2025, alongside the main game.
Q: Has there been any changes to the content of the Collector's Edition?
A: The content will mostly remain as initially advertised, though some design elements may change. The ACSH Collector's Edition will include the following physical items:
- Naoe and Yasuke dual character statue (approx. 40 cm / 15.7 inches).
- Unique SteelBook case.
- Collector's art book (76 pages).
- Naoe's katana tsuba (life-sized).
- World map.
- Creed wall scroll (70x30 cm / 27.6x11.8 inches).
- Two sumi-e lithographs (13.5x19 cm / 5.3x7.5 inches).
Q: Will the digital content change?
A: Yes, the digital content has been updated. The ACSH Season Pass has been canceled, but the Collector's Edition will still include the base game and additional digital content:
- Sekiryu Dual Pack
- Sekiryu Hideout Pack
- Five mastery points
Q: Will the recommended retail price (RRP) of the ACSH Collector's Edition be adjusted due to the removal of the Season Pass?
A: Yes, the RRP will be updated as follows:
Please be aware that the price may vary depending on the retailer. For any question regarding your current pre-order; including upgrades, cancellations, refunds or shipment, it is recommended that you check with your local retailer.
- Console: $229.99 / €239.99
- PC: $229.99 / €229.99
Although the changes to Assassin's Creed Shadows are supposedly to blame on the incomplete state of the game, there is speculation that the announcement of Ghost of Yōtei also posed a threat to AC Shadows because of its similar setting, aesthetic and supposed superior authenticity. How either game actually turns out, though, remains to be seen, but it certainly seems like Ubisoft is feeling the pressure of the increasing game quality coming from up-and-coming indie and smaller game studios.
View at TechPowerUp Main Site | Source