Assassin's Creed Shadows release date: Launch time countdown, preloads, and when it comes out in your time zone

Ubisoft's latest Assassin's Creed has arrived — here's when you can play.

Ubisoft — the developer and publisher behind games like Rainbow Six Siege, Far Cry, Star Wars Outlaws, and more — has struggled in recent years, with many of the studio's projects underperforming financially or failing to hold public interest for long. The firm is working to try and turn its fortune, though, and one of the biggest new releases it's banking on is Assassin's Creed Shadows.

The latest entry in Ubisoft's legendary Assassin's Creed franchise is arguably its most ambitious ever, with the open-world RPG notably earning high praise from critics and content creators. My colleague Zachary Boddy hasn't finished it yet, but they've also spoken highly of the experience in their review-in-progress, calling it "a visually stunning action-RPG adventure with varied, endlessly fun gameplay backed by serious attention to detail."

Going into its launch period, interest in Shadows appears to be quite high — and that means there are lots of gamers trying to figure out when they'll be able to jump into the game. Thankfully, full details for the Assassin's Creed Shadows release date and launch times have been provided ahead of its arrival, so I've compiled all of that information below. Read on for everything you need to know, including release timing, preloading information, and more.

What is Assassin's Creed Shadows?

You'll have an idea of what to expect from Assassin's Creed Shadows if you've played a game from the franchise before. If you haven't, though, give this section a read.

Assassin's Creed Shadows is the latest open-world action RPG in the series from Ubisoft, with the new release following up on 2023's Assassin's Creed Mirage. From a gameplay standpoint, Shadows can be seen as a successor to both Mirage and 2020's Valhalla, as it gives players the option to lean more towards stealth like the former did or go all-in on action combat like the latter title.

This is achieved by giving the player two characters to embody as they adventure through the chaotic war-torn lands of Sengoku-era Japan: the legendary samurai and historical figure Yasuke and a lethal and covert shinobi named Naoe. Each protagonist has their own stories and side adventures to experience, with the two connected by an overarching narrative.

After a rather lengthy opening chapter with Naoe, players will gain the ability to swap between the two characters freely. As you'd expect, Yasuke is ideal for fighting head on and opts for direct strength over more clandestine approaches, while Naoe is for those who wish to skulk in the shadows to avoid detection and execute well-planned assassinations. Both wield a variety of different weapons and tools to achieve victory, and players can tweak and customize both extensively.