Assassin’s Creed Shadows Already Has Gamers Angry

Summary

Assassin’s Creed Shadowsalready has some gamers angry over its online requirement and pricing. But part of that ongoing fan backlash appears to have been misguided, with Ubisoft already clarifying thatAssassin’s Creed Shadowswill, in fact, be playable offline from start to finish.

Following years' worth of fan requests for anAssassin’s Creedentry set in feudal Japan, Ubisoft at last greenlit such a game, confirming its existence on the 15th anniversary of the franchise in September 2022. Originally dubbedAC Codename Red, theproject was given the official title ofAssassin’s Creed Shadowson May 14, followed by a cinematic reveal trailer a day later. Its pre-orders went live immediately afterward, which is when some fans noticed that its PlayStation Store page lists it as an “online play required” game.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows Tag Page Cover Art

Assassin’s Creed Shadows Won’t Have an Always-Online Requirement

This observation prompted an immediate backlash from a vocal section of the fandom pushing back against thenotion of an always-online requirement in a single-player game. Ubisoft responded to the criticism a day later, taking to social media on May 16 to clarify thatAssassin’s Creed Shadowswill be entirely playable offline. The internet requirement mentioned on its PS Store page was meant to state that the game will need an online connection during installation, which has long been a standard industry practice. The mention of this inaccurate requirement was removed from the PS Store listing as of this writing, with the page now clearly labeling online play as “optional.”

Some Fans Are Unhappy With Assassin’s Creed Shadows Pricing

At the same time, some fans have also been complaining about the game’s pricing, withDualShockersreporting that the $109.99 Gold Edition and $129.99 Ultimate Edition of the upcoming action RPG are currently the subject of some online criticism. The base game will be priced at $79.99, with the overall three-tier structure being similar to that of Ubisoft’s other contemporary titles. The pricing complaints about this particular game have possibly been exacerbated by a recent report from industry insider Tom Henderson, whoclaimed thatAssassin’s Creed Shadowswill also feature several battle passes. Called “Projects” in the game’s jargon, the purported battle passes will supposedly have 20 levels each and allow players to unlock certain cosmetics.

Henderson said Ubisoft is currently planning to feature three such battle passes. All of them will reportedly be offered viaAssassin’s Creed Infinity, an upcoming interactive hub pitched as a singular entry point into the popular franchise. It is presently unclear whetherInfinitywill be out by the timeAssassin’s Creed Shadowslaunches on November 15, or if it’s planned to debut at a later date.