Ubisoft recently announced that all preorders for Assassin’s Creed Shadows would be refunded following the game’s release date being pushed back. The decision affects all platforms, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and PC. That being said, despite the delay to February 2025, on social media Ubisoft confirmed that customers in Japan would not receive a refund for Shadows. This exception quickly ignited speculation among fans; however, the true reason doesn’t live up to the colorful rumors.
In all social media posts across its various regional accounts, Ubisoft clearly stated that all preorders “will be refunded.” When translated using Google Translate, DeepL, and ChatGPT, @assassinsspain and @UbisoftFR accounts both wrote similar lines.
“Additionally pre-orders will be refunded and all future pre-orders will offer the first game expansion for free.”
However, only the tweet from @UBISOFT_JAPAN omitted any mention of a refund, and instead read:
“Furthermore, for those who have pre-ordered, you will receive the first expansion content for free.”
(“なお、ご予約の方には、最初の拡張コンテンツを無料でご提供させて頂きます”)
Some online posters assumed that the lack of refund for the delay was caused by Ubisoft trying to distance itself from Japan for Shadows. After all, the company has faced backlash over several Assassin’s Creed Shadows promotional blunders related to Japan and its culture.
Ubisoft had to remove a concept art that used a flag from a historical reenactment group without permission. A collectible toy accidentally featured the “one-legged Torii gate,” which exists only in Nagasaki as a monument to the World War 2 atomic bombing. Lastly, perhaps the most ridiculous slip-up of them all, internet sleuths caught Ubisoft red-handed plagiarizing a sword design from One Piece for an event.
Considering that the French company backed out from the Tokyo Game Show at the last minute doesn’t help its case either.
Still, whatever causes those promotional gaffes, does not seem to have any relation to the lack of refund. Instead, the actual reason behind there being no refunds for Shadows delay in Japan is rooted in the country’s strict regulations. Several legal consumer protection frameworks make it difficult for companies to issue refunds unless certain criteria are met.
One such example is the Consumer Contract Act. According to the Act No. 61 of 2000, refunds are typically only allowed under specific circumstances, such as:
- The product is defective.
- The product is significantly different from what was advertised.
- The product is damaged during shipping.
- The consumer was misled or pressured into the transaction.
Digital pre-orders, especially in the gaming industry, often fall under specific exemptions from refund requirements. Again, unless there’s been a misrepresentation or technical flaw in the product itself, as explained by Japanese Law Translation.
That’s the major reason why the Assassin’s Creed Shadows delay doesn’t prompt Ubisoft to offer refunds for Japanese gamers. The decision was made to align with Japan’s regulations rather than caused by any specific backlash from local controversies.
