Is there early access in Assassin’s Creed Shadows? Answered

The launch of Assassin's Creed Shadows is coming up quickly, with the March 20 release date drawing closer with every passing day. While many fans can't wait to finally explore feudal Japan and everything Ubisoft has been cooking up, some fans don't even want to wait until the release date. There's been a recent trend of single-player games allowing players early access, so is Assassin's Creed Shadows going to follow suit?

For the past year or so, more and more single-player game developers have promoted early access to players who pre-order a specific edition of their game. As you might expect, these editions cost a few extra bucks compared to the base price of the game, so you're essentially paying more to play earlier than everyone else. You can see if other games in March, such as Atomfall, are also following this trend in our recent guides.

Unfortunately, Ubisoft isn't going down that road with Assassin's Creed Shadows, and the game will offer no form of early access. Even if you purchase the eye-watering $300 Collector's Edition of Shadows, you will still unlock the game at the same time on March 20 as everyone else around the world. We previously went over exactly when the game unlocks for your specific platform and time zone, so check that out to make sure you start playing as soon as possible.

While no edition of the game is offering early access, Ubisoft has thrown in plenty of content with the higher-tier editions. It might not be worth it to you if there's no early access, but you'll get a decent head start with your character if you purchase one of the more expensive editions.

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