Following what could be the worst year ever for Ubisoft, the publisher announced it would delay Assassin’s Creed Shadows to February 2025. While the third-person action game is “feature complete,” they want to spend the next few months polishing the experience to ensure it’s the studio’s best launch. Unfortunately, for those excited to play as Yasuke and Naoe, it leaves a hole in the holidays. Here’s what you can play following the Assassin’s Creed Shadows delay!
What is the New Assassin’s Creed Shadows Release Date?
Following the official delay of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, the new release date for the third-person action game with stealth elements is February 14, 2025.
Unfortunately, this means it will directly compete with Ghost of Yotei in 2025, along with a handful of major releases in February, such as:
- Avowed
- Civilization 7
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
- Monster Hunter Wilds
Related: Ubisoft Cancels Press Previews of Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Games to Play After the Assassin’s Creed Shadows Delay
Assassin’s Creed Shadows promises a massive open world to explore, full of unique locations, quests, and characters, alongside action-packed gameplay. As such, we tried to choose similar titles that could mimic that feel, so there are a few Soulslike in here, like Elden Ring, but it’s important to note that Shadows isn’t Soulslike.
Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey
If you fancy yourself a completionist, you can beat Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey in approximately 140 to 150 hours. If you start now, there’s a chance you’ll finish the entire story and side quests before the launch of Shadows in February. Of course, Steam’s Winter Sale will probably impede your progress.
In any case, the story of Alexios and Kassandra spans Greece, with mythological elements to shake up the chaotic action-oriented combat, stealth segments, horseback riding, and some of the franchise’s best exploration. You can lose yourself in Odyssey’s game world for much longer than it takes to beat the story mode.
Elden Ring
I have spent many hundreds of hours exploring The Lands Between, and I’m still in Limgrave (not really!). Some players spend thousands of hours in the game. With the recent expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree, you could play the latest Soulslike from developer From Software for months without fear of running out of new dungeons to delve into or bosses to shed a tear over.
The sheer build variety, open-world exploration, and borderline addicting combat make for a memorable experience that draws you back month after month.
If you intend to hop into the expansion, know that it’s exceptionally challenging, first and foremost. Secondly, we have a guide to help you with the DLC’s boss order!
Nioh 2
If you were excited to play Assassin’s Creed Shadows due to its Japanese setting, then Nioh 2 provides a similar world to lose yourself in, albeit one with far more yokai. The Soulslike, which combines elements of your favorite ARPGs, such as Diablo VI, proves to be one of the genre’s most satisfying yet niche titles. It’s a loot goblin’s heaven!
That said, it’s also the roughest recommendation I can offer. It’s a bit jank, a little complex where it doesn’t need to be, and relatively niche. But if you’re a fan of its setting, style, and challenging gameplay, you’ll find an RPG worth playing for hundreds of hours in the meantime!
Do you have any recommendations for those of us eagerly awaiting Assassin’s Creed Shadows? Let us know in the comments below, or start a discussion on the Insider Gaming forums!
Alongside a brand-new release date, Assassin’s Creed Shadows is eliminating its Season Pass system. We‘re excited to see what Ubisoft is doing!
