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No, Assassin’s Creed Shadows Will not Require an Online Connection at all Times

No, maybe you can go back to purchasing the game.
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Ubisoft Assassin's Creed Shadows Screenshot-03 - Yasuke and Naoe

Yesterday was quite the day for the announcement of Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed Shadows game, that’s for sure. Outside of the apparent discourse that set the internet on fire, there was also the tidbit that the game would require an online connection. Let’s be obvious here… most games that are released anymore need an online connection for various things. DRM, updates, and yes, even installs. Don’t tell me you haven’t purchased a console game from the store and discovered it needed to install itself over the Internet. It’s a thing that’s here to stay, despite the constantly growing frustration about it. See what Ubisoft did with its online racing title, The Crew.

However, Ubisoft wants everyone to know that this was taken out of context. I tried to state this on Twitter, but that app proved to be quite the echo chamber. So, Ubisoft has announced that Assassin’s Creed Shadows will not be a mandatory online game. As I mentioned, an online connection will be needed to install the game and install updates, but everyone can play the entire game offline.

However, there is still some confusion on my part and I’ve reached out to Ubisoft about this. While this update dispels the always online bit, it makes it seem like this was always for the installation. Then, why does AC:S on the PlayStation Store say that the game is “online play required?” There’s a big difference between installing a game and playing a game online.

Assassin's Creed Shadows PSN Listing

With that out of the way, that’s one less thing about Assassin’s Creed Shadows that people can be outraged about. Maybe.

There’s not much else to say unless someone wants to comment on why the game isn’t heading to past-generation consoles, such as the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Hopefully, that’s just a joke on my end.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows will be released on November 15, 2024, for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Amazon Lunda, Mac, and PC via the Ubisoft Store and Epic Games Store.

Keith Mitchell - Headshot-PS_Gear_400x400

Keith D. Mitchell is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of The Outerhaven, where he has been covering video games and technology for more than 14 years. A lifelong PC gamer, he began building PCs at just eight years old and still loves talking about hardware as much as playing games. His passion for challenging experiences has made him a devoted Soulslike fan, having beaten nearly every FromSoftware release. Keith regularly attends major gaming and technology events to bring firsthand coverage to readers, and continues to enjoy writing about the games and gear that shaped his love for the industry.