Assassin’s Creed Shadows has emerged as a rare success for Ubisoft amid recent challenges. Though unable to surpass Ghost of Yotei on PlayStation platforms, reports suggest that Shadows exceeded expectations in Ubisoft’s first-half results. However, it appears that Ubisoft’s initial plan to release multiple expansions for Shadows will not materialize. Claws of Awaji, which debuted in September, will be the game’s first and only DLC expansion.
Ubisoft’s New Direction for Assassin’s Creed Shadows
In a recent interview with YouTuber JorRaptor, associate game director Simon Lemay-Comtois confirmed that Ubisoft currently has no plans for another expansion on the scale of Claws of Awaji. “While the future is unpredictable, and things could change as seen with [Assassin’s Creed] Mirage and previous crossovers, there is no large expansion planned for Year 2,” Lemay-Comtois stated. The focus will be on post-launch content that remains small and reactive, allowing the team to gauge community response and learn from the experience.
Impact of the Tencent Deal and Future Prospects
Lemay-Comtois elaborated that, unlike the reactive strategy of Year One, the team now has the opportunity to deliberate on meaningful content for Shadows in Year Two. It is evident that Ubisoft’s approach to Shadows has shifted. Although the possibility of another major DLC cannot be entirely dismissed, it seems unlikely at this stage. This strategic pivot may be influenced by the completion of Ubisoft’s deal with Tencent and the establishment of Vantage Studios. As the Assassin’s Creed franchise transitions to this new subsidiary, the overall strategy for the series, including Shadows, may undergo re-evaluation.
The current plan indicates that Claws of Awaji will be the only major expansion for Assassin’s Creed Shadows.
For more on Claws of Awaji, you can check out Francesco De Meo’s review of the expansion.
