Assassin's Creed Shadows Early Leak: Fans Report Premature Full Game Access

Early Access Leak: Assassin's Creed Shadows Released Prematurely

Spoiler Warning: This article contains light spoilers. Proceed with caution if you wish to avoid them.

Assassin's Creed fans, brace yourselves. Reports are emerging that early copies of the highly anticipated Assassin's Creed Shadows have broken the official release date. According to unsubstantiated claims circulating online, some fans have already downloaded the full game from the PlayStation Store, and physical copies may have been sold prematurely.

Leaks and Early Access Claims

Notably, popular Assassin's Creed YouTuber The Hidden One recently mentioned on social media that a friend with early access on PS5 showed him footage of the full game. In the leaked footage, viewers caught a glimpse of a new feature: Animus anomalies have made a comeback. A pop-up message in the game read, "Animus systems breached. Stabilise anomalies and gain data fragments to advance your active strand," followed by a prompt to press the touchpad to access the Animus menu. Although The Hidden One admitted he could not provide concrete proof, his comments have fueled speculation and excitement among the fanbase.

Physical Copies and Community Buzz

Adding to the controversy, discussions on the Gaming Leaks and Rumours subreddit suggest that physical copies of Assassin's Creed Shadows may also have been sold ahead of schedule. While there is no widespread evidence of early gameplay on Twitch or YouTube, these reports have prompted some fans to consider muting related keywords on social media to avoid unwanted spoilers.

Ubisoft's Pre-Order Success and Expectations

Despite the leak rumors, Ubisoft remains confident about the upcoming launch. In its latest quarterly financial report, the company noted that pre-orders for Assassin's Creed Shadows are "solid" and comparable to those of Assassin's Creed Odyssey—one of the franchise's most successful titles. Early hands-on impressions, including those shared by our own Katharine, describe Shadows as potentially "the biggest shake-up of the series in years," with dual protagonist gameplay that could redefine the experience for both new and longtime fans.

What This Means for the Release

While the early leak raises concerns about security and potential spoilers, it also highlights the immense anticipation surrounding Assassin's Creed Shadows. Ubisoft has yet to comment officially on the leak, and it remains unclear whether the early access was the result of a genuine error on the PlayStation Store or an isolated incident. For now, the situation serves as a reminder of the challenges in managing early access in the digital age.

Stay tuned to The Horizons Times for further updates on this developing story and more news on your favorite games.