Assassin’s Creed Shadows: Global Release Times Announced

Ubisoft has officially announced the global release schedule for the much-anticipated Assassin’s Creed Shadows, marking a significant shift from their traditional release strategies. Unlike its predecessors and other Ubisoft titles, Assassin’s Creed Shadows will launch globally at the same time, with no option for early access at an additional cost.

Release Date and Times

Assassin’s Creed Shadows is set to launch on March 20 at 12am local time for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S players across the globe. However, PC gamers will experience slightly different release times depending on the platform:

• Steam: The release times for PC players via Steam are as follows:

  • Los Angeles (PDT): 9pm, March 19
  • Mexico (CST): 10pm, March 19
  • New York (EDT): 12am, March 20
  • Montreal (EDT): 12am, March 20
  • Sao Paolo (BRT): 1am, March 20
  • London (GMT): 4am, March 20
  • Paris (CET): 5am, March 20
  • Johannesburg (SAST): 6am, March 20
  • Abu Dhabi (GST): 8am, March 20
  • Shanghai (CST): 12am, March 20
  • Seoul (KST): 1pm, March 20
  • Tokyo (JST): 1pm, March 20
  • Sydney (AEDT): 3pm, March 20

• Ubi Connect: For those opting to play via Ubisoft's own platform, the release times are:

  • Los Angeles (PDT): 9pm, March 19
  • Mexico (CST): 10pm, March 19
  • New York (EST): 12am, March 20
  • Montreal (EDT): 12am, March 20
  • Sao Paolo (BRT): 1am, March 20
  • London (GMT): 10pm, March 19
  • Paris (CET): 11pm, March 19
  • Johannesburg (SAST): 12am, March 20
  • Abu Dhabi (GST): 2am, March 20
  • Shanghai (CST): 8pm, March 19
  • Seoul (KST): 9pm, March 19
  • Tokyo (JST): 9pm, March 19
  • Sydney (AEDT): 11pm, March 19

Pre-Load Availability

Players on Xbox Series X and S, PlayStation 5, and PC can already pre-load the game, ensuring they're ready to dive into the action as soon as it becomes available.

Context and Expectations

Assassin’s Creed Shadows comes with high expectations, particularly following Ubisoft's recent challenges. The company has faced significant pressure after delays, the underperformance of last year's Star Wars Outlaws, and a series of high-profile flops, layoffs, studio closures, and game cancellations. The success of Assassin’s Creed Shadows is seen as crucial for Ubisoft.

IGN’s review of Assassin’s Creed Shadows awarded it an 8/10, praising it for refining the open-world experience that the series has been developing over the last decade. The review stated, “By sharpening the edges of its existing systems, Assassin’s Creed Shadows creates one of the best versions of the open-world style it’s been honing for the last decade.”