Assassin's Creed Shadows will require an internet connection to install physical copies

It has been confirmed that physical copies of Assassin's Creed Shadows, like Star Wars Outlaws and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, will require players to connect to the internet for installation.

The details:

• Fans have noticed that the box art for AC: Shadows includes the message "Internet required to install the game" on listings at online retailers such as Best Buy. This is most likely related to a mandatory day one update to prevent players from accessing the title early, though a connection may be required to play due to the integration of the new "Assassin's Creed Infinity" platform.

• The same message appeared on the cover of Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora before its release in late 2023, raising concerns about game preservation if Ubisoft shuts down the game's servers in the future. Star Wars Outlaws will also feature the same requirement, but the publisher stated that it can be played offline after the initial installation.

• Game preservation has become a major topic of discussion in recent years, as the industry transitions to always-online releases. According to a study conducted by the Video Game History Foundation last year, 87% of games released between the early 1970s and 2010 are no longer available through official stores. Ubisoft also has its own example of an unplayable title, with The Crew's server closure making the racing game inaccessible as of March 31, 2024.

More Ubisoft news:

• Free-to-play shooter The Division Heartland has been canceled as Ubisoft looks to focus on "bigger opportunities" like Rainbow Six Siege and XDefiant.

• XDefiant will not include skill-based matchmaking, a controversial system used in other games such as Call of Duty to ensure players are matched with others of similar skill in casual modes.