New details about the upcoming Assassin's Creed Shadows have surfaced online following the alleged leak of an official artbook, reportedly shared on a website known for hosting adult content.
First spotted on r/GamingLeaksAndRumours, a digital artbook titled "The Art of Assassin's Creed Shadows" has rapidly circulated across the internet. Spanning hundreds of pages, it features extensive concept art, developer commentary, and behind-the-scenes insights into the highly anticipated entry in the Assassin's Creed series.
What makes the leak particularly unusual is its rumored origin—a site primarily associated with hentai content. While the original gallery has since been taken down, archived versions have resurfaced on various file-sharing platforms and image repositories.
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The leaked material showcases early designs of historical figures, detailed cityscapes, and an array of weapons tied to Feudal Japan. Additionally, the artwork may hint at key plot points in Assassin's Creed Shadows, though nothing can be confirmed until the game's official release. However, the quality and consistency of the visuals strongly suggest authenticity.
The leak comes just ahead of the game’s confirmed launch date of March 20, 2025, following a delay from its original 2024 window to February 2025. At a recent preview event, IGN spoke with Assassin's Creed Shadows game director Charles Benoit, who explained that the additional development time was primarily used for refinement.
“The delay was mostly about polishing,” Benoit said. “We updated a couple of things in progression to make it more engaging and did some balancing, but the biggest focus was on the parkour system.”
He highlighted the complexity of recreating Feudal Japan’s architecture, particularly the intricate rooftops, which presented a unique challenge compared to past entries like Odyssey and Syndicate.
“The Japanese architecture, the roofs, are super complex—probably the most complex I’ve ever worked with,” Benoit explained. “We needed specific code and custom animations to ensure fluid movement, reworking parkour transitions to feel seamless. That was a key piece of feedback we wanted to address, and it’s improved significantly over the past few months.”
