The delay to Assassin's Creed Shadows was a big step for Ubisoft. Marc-Alexis Coté, Vice President and Executive Producer for the Assassin's Creed franchise said the reasoning behind the delay was to set everything straight and change the ‘inconsistency in quality’ of Ubisoft games. The company is looking to gain back lost trust among players.
“Ubisoft's portfolio has faced criticism in recent years for a perceived inconsistency in quality. Players expect more polish, more innovation and deeper engagement from the games we release, and they're not shy about letting us know when they feel we have fallen short. This environment pushes us to do better and to be better,” Coté said, talking to Eurogamer.
Using Assassin's Creed Shadows, the company aims to change the average gamer’s perspective not only towards the Assassin's Creed series but also toward the company. It seems that the sub-par launch for Star Wars Outlaws was the last straw for Ubisoft.
Also Read: Assassin's Creed Shadows co-op mode reportedly in development
A new benchmark in quality for the franchise
“In today's market, being amongst the best is just not enough anymore,” he said, which is true. A few AAA games steal the spotlight each year, leaving others to simply try and measure up to them, with fans comparing every aspect.
As per Coté, the playtest team said that the game has potential, and the delay will help them meet high expectations from players. "We believe Shadows will shine as a true showcase of Ubisoft's talent and dedication, setting a new benchmark in quality for the franchise," Coté added.
It is hard to tell if the company will be able to pull off this incredible feat, fans are wary of Ubisoft. Star Wars Outlaws reportedly sold one million copies in a month and while multiplatform release may help in upping the numbers, gamers nowadays are quite vocal about the smallest criticism.