Assassin’s Creed Shadows is teaming up with Real Madrid Club de Fútbol as part of its summer roadmap update, Ubisoft announced in a new trailer. This partnership might seem a bit unexpected for a game set in feudal Japan. Still, sports crossovers have become a popular way for major titles to boost revenue.
The game launched on March 20, 2025. Since then, Ubisoft has rolled out post-launch content to keep players engaged. The summer roadmap shows that the publisher is treating Shadows like a live-service title, offering seasonal updates. This approach became standard practice for Ubisoft after Assassin’s Creed Origins popularized it in 2017.
This crossover announcement comes on the heels of some recent hardware news. An ASUS RTX 5090 Matrix Platinum benchmark run in AC Shadows at 800W surfaced earlier this month, highlighting that Ubisoft is still providing technical support for the game. Additionally, AC Black Flag Resynced will borrow stealth mechanics directly from Shadows, indicating that the design of the newer title is influencing the entire franchise.
On Steam, the game is now priced at $0.99, a huge drop from its original $69.99 launch price. This suggests aggressive discounting to move units. However, there’s no current player count data available, making it tough to determine how well the summer roadmap is performing in retaining players.
The Real Madrid crossover likely brings in branded cosmetics—like kits, crests, or character skins—related to the football club. Ubisoft hasn’t provided specific details yet, but similar crossover events usually last two to four weeks and feature both free and paid cosmetic options.
| Release Date | March 20, 2025 |
| Developer | Ubisoft |
| Current Steam Price | $0.99 (down from $69.99 launch) |
| Post-Launch DLC Cost (100% completion) | ~$90 USD |
| Community Sentiment | Mostly Negative (10 signals tracked) |
Community feedback remains a challenge for Ubisoft. One Steam reviewer summed up the frustration: “Avoid. If you hunt to get 100% completions, prepare to shell out $90 USD in DLC to get the last achievement for that hundo.” This sentiment appears in several reviews, especially from completionist players who are vocal about the monetization strategy that locks achievements behind pricey DLC.
What To Watch
- Summer roadmap content cadence: Keep an eye on whether Ubisoft releases more crossover events beyond Real Madrid and how players react to sports-themed content in a historical action game.
- Steam player numbers: With the price at $0.99, a surge in new players could happen. Watch if Ubisoft shares engagement data or if Steam Charts show an uptick.
- DLC pricing backlash: The $90 cost for completionist DLC is already causing negative buzz. If Ubisoft doesn’t address this before the peak of the summer roadmap, expect conversations around it to heat up, especially as more players join from the sale price.
Sarah Chen
Sarah Chen is the Reviews and Guides Editor at Explosion.com. With a background in game design studies and 6 years of gaming journalism, Sarah brings technical insight to her reviews and creates comprehensive guides that help players get the most out of their games. She has reviewed over 200 titles across PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo platforms. Her current obsessions include FromSoftware titles and indie roguelikes.
