Key Takeaways
- About half of the Assassin's Creed Shadows team are new to game development.
- The game faced backlash from its protagonists and was delayed due to the poor reception of Star Wars Outlaws.
- Despite internal concerns, the executive producer is confident that Shadows will be a success, just like his past projects.
About half of the Assassin's Creed Shadows development team has never made a game before. These are the words of series executive producer Marc-Alexis Côté.
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Assassin's Creed Shadows' Animus Hub and Season Pass are shared online
Shadows was previously delayed to 2025.
In the XDS24 Fireside Keynote, Côté shared the team's current makeup and details about the development of Assassin's Creed Shadows.
The Assassin's Creed Shadows team is full of juniors
Assassin's Creed Shadows' development cycle was a bit problematic. Despite “very strong” pre-orders, a small number of backlashes against the game's protagonist persisted, prompting members of the development team to speak out. The release of Star Wars Outlaws didn't help Shadows' fate either. Due to the game's poor reception, the latest Assassin's Creed title was delayed just two months before its scheduled release date.
Now, in a keynote witnessed by The Outerhaven, the series' executive producer discussed his views on the game with the team.
“Since the pandemic, we’ve noticed that we have a lot of juniors on our team, and we’ve gone down the pecking order globally. I think probably half the team working on Assassin’s Creed is making a game for the first time,” he said.
Probably half the team working on Assassin's Creed is making a game for the first time.
Côté has never outright stated that this has caused problems in the development of Assassin's Creed Shadows, but he does share that it means his internal perception of the game has been distorted.
“You have to explain that even if they're playing a game and they think it's the worst they've ever seen, it's going to be okay. We're going to get there. I've been there. I'm a leader.”
Côté hints at the fact that while Shadows may be difficult now, things tend to click when they launch.
“I remember my first encounter with Assassin's Creed. It was July and the game came out in October. I thought, 'There's no way this game is coming out,' and it got a 91 on Metacritic.”
With less than three months to go, we're at the same time Côté was working on the aforementioned Assassin's Creed title. This means that even though everything is going well, the industry veteran is still confident in the product he and his team produce.
Assassin's Creed Shadow
Experience an epic historical action-adventure story set during Japan's feudal era! Become a deadly shinobi assassin and a powerful legendary samurai as you explore a beautiful open world in an age of chaos. Seamlessly transition between two unlikely allies as they discover a common destiny. Master complementary play styles, create a shinobi league, customize your hideout, and usher in a new era of Japan.
• Explore a fascinating open world of feudal Japan, from stunning castle towns and bustling ports to peaceful shrines and war-torn landscapes. Embark on an adventure through unpredictable weather, changing seasons, and reactive environments.
• Become shinobi assassin Naoe and legendary samurai Yasuke, experience their compelling stories and master their complementary play styles. As Naoe, use your stealth abilities to avoid detection and confuse your enemies with agility. As Yasuke, attack your enemies with deadly precision and power. Unlock new skills, equipment and progress for each character independently.
• Weapon information as you explore the world, building your own spy network to serve as your eyes and ears across multiple locations to track down your next target. Along the way, recruit new allies with unique abilities to help you complete your mission.
• Create a fully customizable hideout for your growing shinobi league as you train your crew, craft new equipment, interact with key characters, and choose the layout, decorations, and accessories for your base.
