Assassin’s Creed Shadows: Release Date, How To Preload & File Size

The wait is almost over! Assassin’s Creed Shadows is right around the corner, finally bringing the long-anticipated Feudal Japan setting to the franchise. With two playable characters, Yasuke and Naoe, the game promises a fresh take on the beloved series. If you’re eager to jump in the moment it drops, here’s everything you need to know about release times, preload dates, and file sizes.

 

 

When Does Assassin’s Creed Shadows Release?

Depending on your platform and region, the game will be available either on March 19 or March 20, 2025. Here’s a full breakdown of the release times:

PC – Ubisoft Connect

March 19

• 8 PM CST
• 9 PM PDT / JST / KST
• 10 PM CST / GMT
• 11 PM CET / AEDT

March 20

• 12 AM EDT / SAST
• 1 AM BRT
• 2 AM GST

 

PC – Steam

March 19

• 9 PM PDT
• 10 PM CST

March 20

• 12 AM EDT / CST
• 1 AM BRT
• 4 AM GMT
• 5 AM CET
• 6 AM SAST
• 8 AM GST
• 1 PM JST / KST
• 3 PM AEDT

Console (PlayStation & Xbox)

• No matter where you are, Assassin’s Creed Shadows unlocks at midnight local time on March 20.

 

 

How to Preload Assassin’s Creed Shadows

With a massive 123.24GB install size, preloading is the best way to ensure you can start playing as soon as the game unlocks. Here’s when you can start downloading:

• Xbox – March 4 at 2 PM UTC
• PC (Ubisoft Connect) – March 17 at 4 PM UTC
• PlayStation – March 18 at 12 AM local time

How to Preload on Different Platforms

Xbox

1. Go to My Games & Apps
2. Find Assassin’s Creed Shadows
3. Select Pre-install / Download and let it do its thing

PlayStation

1. Make sure you’ve preordered the game
2. Head to the Assassin’s Creed Shadows game page
3. Look for the Download option
4. If auto-downloads are enabled, it will start preloading automatically

PC (Steam & Ubisoft Connect)

• Steam: Go to your Library or the game’s store page, then hit Preload
• Ubisoft Connect: Open your Library, select AC Shadows, and press Preload

Final Thoughts

This is the first time an Assassin’s Creed game is diving into Feudal Japan, and the hype is through the roof. Whether you’re planning to go full stealth as Naoe or charge into battle as Yasuke, make sure your game is preloaded and ready to go.