Assassin's Creed Shadows Gets Steam Deck Verified Rating Ahead of Launch, Graphics Settings Locked Until Later Update

[Cpt.Jank]

On more than one occasion, Assassin's Creed Shadows developer, Ubisoft, has assured gamers that the upcoming Assassin's Creed title set in feudal Japan would be playable on the Steam Deck and, by extension, desktop Linux, via Valve's Proton. Ubisoft, however, was seemingly convinced that Shadows would not get the official Steam Deck Verified rating in time for release. In mid-February 2025, Ubisoft confirmed via a Steam Community post that the Steam Deck did not meet the minimum hardware requirements necessary for a smooth gameplay experience, but today, Ubisoft announced that Assassin's Creed Shadows will be Steam Deck Verified on launch day.

This comes after Ubisoft also announced that Assassin's Creed Shadows will also support day-one Steam Achievements, as opposed to other Assassin's Creed games, which only got Steam Achievements later on. According to the post announcing the Steam Deck Verified status, Ubisoft's development team had to put significant work into optimizing Assassin's Creed Shadows to get it to run properly on the Steam Deck. Perhaps somewhat frustratingly, it seems as though Ubisoft is forcing Steam Deck players into a pre-determined set of graphics settings, with no ability to tweak them at launch on the Steam Deck. There will apparently be multiple upscalers from which players can choose, although Ubisoft did not specify what the options would be.

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[QuietBob]

Minimum PC requirements call for a GTX1070 (6.5 TFLOPS) or an RX5700 (8.0 TFLOPS) to achieve 30 fps in up to 720p -- at best (upscaled quality 1080p + dynamic resolution).

Steam Deck is 1.6 TFLOPS with an 800p screen. So less than 30 fps in up to 240p? Are we back to the DOS era?

Speaking of, Ubisoft are clearly trying to make it run on everything with a display. The new Doom has arrived

 

[Dr. Dro]

Minimum PC requirements call for a GTX1070 (6.5 TFLOPS) or an RX5700 (8.0 TFLOPS) to achieve 30 fps in up to 720p -- at best (upscaled quality 1080p + dynamic resolution).

Steam Deck is 1.6 TFLOPS with an 800p screen. So less than 30 fps in up to 240p? Are we back to the DOS era?

Speaking of, Ubisoft are clearly trying to make it run on everything with a display. The new Doom has arrived

This game has had an overwhelmingly negative reception thus far and has been shrouded in controversy after controversy from the get go. With the budget it's taken and Ubisoft's debilitated financial situation, it's understandable they are trying to maximize the impact surface, I honestly wouldn't be surprised if they actually came up with something insane like a Wii U port at this point.

 

[phints]

Can't imagine even expecting games like this to run on a SD. It's a nice bonus, but who would think that is what a 10W TDP handheld is used for?

 

[JIWIL]

Ubi shoveling publicity anywhere that will publish it. Don't think any other single item has seen as many TPU PR articles as AC:Shadows has.

 

[Chaitanya]

As someone who played and enjoyed gaming Nintendo consoles on CRT TV and even PSP dont care too much about locked graphics settings on consoles.

 

[Vayra86]

This game has had an overwhelmingly negative reception thus far and has been shrouded in controversy after controversy from the get go. With the budget it's taken and Ubisoft's debilitated financial situation, it's understandable they are trying to maximize the impact surface, I honestly wouldn't be surprised if they actually came up with something insane like a Wii U port at this point.

Honestly it kinda feels like the Russian invasion in Ukraine. They thought they'd just sell this thing in one fell swoop, but here we are, stuck on the frontlines of common sense and good taste and people just not accepting it, while Ubisoft is stuck in made choices.

The veil has been destroyed, everyone can see this franchise has completely dried up.

 

[Konomi]

Locked graphical settings are no big deal, if it doesn't run like garbage to begin with. However, I'd be concerned if they didn't open them up at a later date..

 

[bartekno]

Locked gfx settings might be an advantage. However like always i am affraid Ubisoft might be overpromissing this and wecwill get like 20-25fps experience with ultra blurry upscaling and low details

 

[watzupken]

It’s a game that I likely won’t play, just like any Ubisoft game in recent years. I believe the last AC game I bought was Valhalla. And I think they will struggle with making this Steam Deck verified without resorting to some frame gen shenanigans or ultra low graphic settings.

 

[FreedomEclipse]

Ubi shoveling publicity anywhere that will publish it. Don't think any other single item has seen as many TPU PR articles as AC:Shadows has.

Its honestly not that deep. TPU just reports tech and gaming stuff. This falls into into gaming. This isnt Kotaku or IGN. Nothing here is written by Jason Schreier.

The wider picture is Ubisoft know they are cooked so they are aiming to get it out on as many platforms as possible to make as much money back. Even Apple Mac.

 

[JIWIL]

Aye, it started reeking of desperation about ten blurbs ago; "Hey chaps it's been 48 hours since we cooked something up for the tech/gaming sites, get on it".

My apologies if anything otherwise seemed implied.

 

[Prima.Vera]

Minimum PC requirements call for a GTX1070 (6.5 TFLOPS) or an RX5700 (8.0 TFLOPS) to achieve 30 fps in up to 720p -- at best (upscaled quality 1080p + dynamic resolution).

Steam Deck is 1.6 TFLOPS with an 800p screen. So less than 30 fps in up to 240p? Are we back to the DOS era?

Speaking of, Ubisoft are clearly trying to make it run on everything with a display. The new Doom has arrived

My SVGA monitor is ready!

 

[cal5582]

yeah but whos actually going to play yandere george floyd simulator?